Author Question: List and briefly describe the components of the energy budget. What will be an ideal ... (Read 61 times)

waynest · **on:** Jul 16, 2018

List and briefly describe the components of the energy budget.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Why are the differing wavelengths of incoming and outgoing radiant heat important for understanding the energy budget?

What will be an ideal response?

kaylee05 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 16, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Incoming shortwave radiation from the Sun.
Shortwave radiation from the Sun that is reflected back to space from clouds and high-albedo surface features.
Shortwave radiation from the Sun that is absorbed by molecules in the atmosphere, and then emitted back to space as long-wave radiation.
Longwave radiation emitted from Earth's surface, most of which is intercepted by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and radiated back to the surface; the remainder, including some of the energy absorbed by the greenhouse gases, is radiated into space.
Energy conducted from Earth's surface into the atmosphere or released into the atmosphere when water vapor condenses; this energy escapes into space.

Answer to Question 2

The different wavelengths, short-wave for incoming radiation from the Sun and long-wave for heat radiated from Earth's surface, play an important role in the energy budget because the gas molecules in the atmosphere interact differently with each type of radiant energy. Almost all of the incoming short-wave radiation passes through the atmosphere to Earth's surface. However, the atmospheric gases absorb large amounts of the outgoing long-wave radiation. If this absorption did not take place, then all of the heat from the Sun would simply escape back into space and Earth's surface would be too cold for life as we know it.