How does terrestrial radiation warm Earth's surface?

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: Earth absorbs short-wavelength radiation from the Sun and reradiates it as long-wavelength terrestrial radiation. Incoming short-wavelength solar radiation easily penetrates the atmosphere to reach and warm Earth's surface, but outgoing long-wavelength terrestrial radiation cannot penetrate the atmosphere to escape into space. Instead, atmospheric gases (mainly water vapor and carbon dioxide) absorb the long-wave terrestrial radiation. As a result, this long-wave radiation keeps Earth's surface warmer than it would be if there were no atmosphere.

Physics & Space Science

You might also like to view...

Explain how energy is generated inside a planet and how it is transported out of a planet

What will be an ideal response?

Physics & Space Science

A waffle cone has a diameter of 2.5 inches and is 5.5 inches tall. What is the volume of the waffle cone in cubic centimeters?

A) 58 cubic cm B) 150 cubic cm C) 240 cubic cm D) 440 cubic cm E) 620 cubic cm

Physics & Space Science

Two particles collide, one of them initially being at rest. Is it possible for both particles to be at rest after the collision?

a. If the collision is perfectly inelastic, then this happens. b. If the collision is elastic, then this happens. c. This can happen sometimes if the more massive particle was at rest. d. No.

Physics & Space Science

When a 12 volt car battery is short circuited with a wire, the current drawn from the battery is 100 amperes. The resistance of the wire is

a. zero b. 0.12 ohms c. 100/12 = 8.33 ohms d. 1200 ohms e. none of the above

Physics & Space Science