What happens to energy from the sun that is neither reflected nor absorbed by the atmosphere? Is this right? It is absorbed by the land and water and warmed(changed to heat). The greenhouse effect takes place.
Light that is neither reflected, (usually by clouds or polar ice) nor absorbed by the atmosphere, is absorbed by the ground, ocean or vegetation. The greenhouse effect is caused by absorption of energy that is reradiated by the land and ocean, at long infrared wavelengths.
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you are right!<:
Yes, you are correct! Energy from the sun that is neither reflected nor absorbed by the atmosphere is indeed absorbed by the land and water, ultimately warming them. This process is a crucial part of the Earth's energy balance and is closely related to the greenhouse effect.
Here's a step-by-step breakdown of what happens:
1. When sunlight reaches the Earth's atmosphere, some of it is reflected back into space by particles in the air, like dust and clouds. This is known as "scattering."
2. The remaining sunlight passes through the atmosphere and reaches the Earth's surface.
3. Once on the Earth's surface, the sunlight interacts with different materials like land, water, and vegetation.
4. Some of the sunlight is absorbed by these materials, causing them to heat up. This absorption process is dependent on the material's properties, such as its color and composition.
5. The absorbed sunlight is then transformed into heat energy. This heat warms up the land and water, affecting their temperature.
6. As the land and water warm up, they radiate some of the heat energy back into the atmosphere in the form of infrared radiation.
7. However, not all of this infrared radiation can escape into space. Some of it is trapped by certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases. These gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, act like a blanket and absorb a portion of the infrared radiation.
8. The absorbed infrared radiation by greenhouse gases is then re-emitted in all directions, including back towards the Earth's surface. This process is what we refer to as the greenhouse effect.
9. As a result, the Earth's surface receives both direct sunlight and the re-emitted infrared radiation from the atmosphere. This continuous exchange of energy helps to regulate the Earth's temperature and maintain a suitable climate for life.
In summary, when solar energy is neither reflected nor absorbed by the atmosphere, it is absorbed by the land and water, warming them and eventually contributing to the greenhouse effect.