Quiz Lesson 4

Energy in the Earths Atmosphere

How does energy from the sun travel to Earth?
The energy in Earths atmosphere comes from the sun
as electromagnetic waves.
A wave is a back and forth motion that carries energy
through the matter or through space. The highest
points are the crests. The lowest points are the troughs.
Wavelength the distance between one crest or trough
to the next.
Frequency of a wave is a count of either the number of
crests or the number of trough that pass a point in a
given amount of time. Higher frequency, more energy.
Less frequency: less energy.
There are two types of waves:
1. Mechanical
2. Electromagnetic
Electromagnetic Waves:
It is a form of energy that travels through the vacuum
of space.
Electromagnetic waves are cause by the interaction
between
and
electric
and
magnetic
field.
Electromagnetic waves are classified according to: their
wavelength, or distance between wave peaks.
Amplitude the distance from the midpoint to the crest.
Medium is the material the waves pass through. The
speed of the wave depends on the medium.

 Most of the energy from the sun travels to Earth in form

of:
1. Visible light
2. Infrared radiation
3. Ultraviolet radiation
These forms of light are called the light spectrum.
Types of light:
1. Visible: this type of light includes all colors that
you see in the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, and purple.
a) Red and orange: has the longest wavelength.
Colder.
b) Blue
and
purple:
wavelength. Hotter.

has

the

shortest

2. Nonvisible Radiation:
a) Radiation: the direct transfer of energy by
electromagnetic waves.
b) Infrared radiation: have wavelengths that are
longer than red light. Can be felt as heat.
c) Ultraviolet radiation: have wavelengths that
are shorter than violet light. Can cause
sunburns.
What happened to suns energy when it reaches Earth?
Sunlight must pass through the atmosphere before it
reaches Earths surface.
1. Some sunlight is absorbed by the atmosphere.
2. Some sunlight is reflected by the atmosphere.

Upper Atmosphere:
Wavelengths of radiation are absorbed by different
layers in the atmosphere.
a) The ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet radiation
(stratosphere layer).
b) Infrared radiation is absorbed by water vapor
and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Troposphere:
Clouds act as mirrors reflecting sunlight back into
space.
Scattering: Reflection of light in all directions.
Dust-size particles disperse light in the atmosphere in
all directions.
Gas molecules scatter shorter wavelengths of visible
light (blue and violet). More than long wavelengths (red
and orange).
That why the clear daytime sky looks so blue.
Earths Surface:
50% of the energy that reached earths surface is
absorbed by land and water and changed into heat.
Earths Energy Budget:
Earths surface radiates some energy back into the
atmosphere as infrared radiation.
Much of this infrared radiation doesnt immediately
travel all the way back into space.

 Instead, the water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and

other gases absorb it.
The energy from the absorbed radiation heats the
gases in the air.
Greenhouse Effect: gases in the atmosphere that
traps energy.
a) It is a natural process.
b) It keeps Earths atmosphere at a temperature
that is comfortable for most living things.
c) Over the time, the amount of energy absorbed
by the atmosphere and Earths surface is
balanced with the amount of energy radiated
into the space.