Energy in Earth's atmosphere

Energy in Earth's atmosphere

The movement of heat in the atmosphere causes temperatures to change, winds to blow, and rain to fall.

Energy from the Sun

Nearly all the energy in Earth's atmosphere comes from the sun. This energy travels to Earth as electromagnetic waves, a form of energy that can move through the vacuum of space.

Electromagnetic waves are classified according to wavelenght, or distance between waves.

What kinds of energy do we receive from the suin?

• Most of the energy from the sun travels to Earth in the form of visible light and infrared radiation.

• A small amount arrives as ultraviolet radiation.

Visible Light

• Includes all of the colors you see in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

• The different colors are the result of different wavelengths.

Non-visible Radiation

• Infrared Radiation: Has wavelengths that are longer than red light. Not visible but can be felt as heat.

• Ultraviolet Radiation: An invisible form of energy with wavelenghts that are shorter than violet light. Can cause sunburns, sking cancer and eye damage.

Energy in the Atmosphere

Some sunlight is absorbed by the ozone layer or reflected by the atmosphere before it can reach the surface. The rest passes through the atmosphere to the surface.

Energy at Earth's Surface

When earth surface is heated, it radiates most of the energy back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation.

Multiple Choice

Temperature changes, wind blowing and rain are caused by...

• The movement of heat in the atmosphere.

• The movement of the planets.

• The movement of the moon.

• The heat from the sun.

Multiple Choice

How does the energy from the sun travels to Earth?

• As a strong wind.

• As fast as it can.

• As electromagnetic waves.

• As pollution.

Multiple Choice

What's Radiation?

• What you feel when you just woke up.

• When Earth completes one round to the Sun.

• The transfer of energy through waves.

• A flame that causes burns.

Multiple Choice

Most energy from the sun travels to Earth in the form of visible light and infrared radiation.

Multiple Choice

A small amount of energy from the Sun arrives as nuclear radiation to Earth's surface.

Multiple Choice

_______ includes all of the colors that you see in a rainbow.

• Rain

• Your little sister's artwork

• Visible Light

• Ultra Violet Radiation

Multiple Choice

The process by which gases hold heat in the air is called: _________.

• Solar Explosion

• Greenhouse effect

• Acid rain

• Reflection