In the discussion of Earth's annual energy balance, we saw that Earth absorbed approximately 51 units of solar energy but emitted 117 units of infrared energy. What prevents Earth from getting colder and colder?


Only a fraction of the emitted energy passes through into space. The majority of the energy is absorbed in the atmosphere mainly by greenhouse gases (primarily water vapor and carbon dioxide) and clouds. Much of this absorbed energy is then radiated back to Earth, producing the atmospheric greenhouse effect and, therefore, preventing the cooling of the Earth.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

You might also like to view...

When we talk about landscapes as texts, we are referring to

A) books on landscapes. B) the categorization of landscapes based on their features. C) landscapes as things of meaning, that can be written and read, like books. D) the physical geography underlying cultural landscapes. E) an encyclopedia of geographic terms.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Some map projections are designed to preserve or distort a specific metric property less than the other. List four of these projection and which property they preserve

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Anhydrides do not react with which class of amines to form amides?

A) 1° B) 2° C) 3° D) None, anhydrides react with all of these.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Which of the following is not an innovation that transformed the prairie from grazing land to cropland?

a. subsurface drainage tile b. wooden plow c. well digging machinery d. barbed wire

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences