Weather and Climate: Solar Energy on Earth

What is the process called by which the Sun's energy reaches Earth?

• Conduction

• Convection

• Radiation

• Reflection

Which type of energy transfer does NOT require a medium and can travel through the vacuum of space?

• Conduction

• Convection

• Radiation

• Absorption

Why is Earth warmer at the equator and colder at the poles?

• The equator is closer to the Sun

• The Sun’s angle causes different areas to receive different amounts of solar energy

• The poles are covered in ice

• The equator has more land than the poles

Explain how thermal energy moves from the Sun to the Earth and why this process is important for life on Earth.

• By conduction, which requires direct contact

• By convection, which needs a fluid medium

• By radiation, which can travel through space and warms the planet

• By absorption, which only happens in water

If you place your hands near a fire and feel warmth, which process is responsible for transferring that thermal energy to your hands?

• Conduction

• Convection

• Radiation

• Evaporation

What is latitude?

• The distance north or south of the equator measured in degrees

• The amount of sunlight an area receives

• The temperature at the equator

• The speed of the wind at the poles

Why are the poles colder than the equator?

• The poles receive sunlight at a low angle, spreading energy over a larger area

• The poles are closer to the Sun

• The poles have more land than water

• The poles receive more sunlight per unit of surface area

What does the diagram illustrate about sunlight and latitude?

• Sunlight strikes the equator at a high angle and the poles at a low angle

• Sunlight strikes the poles at a high angle and the equator at a low angle

• Sunlight is the same at all latitudes

• Sunlight only reaches the Northern Hemisphere

How does water compare to land in absorbing and releasing thermal energy?

• Water absorbs and releases thermal energy more slowly than land

• Water absorbs and releases thermal energy faster than land

• Water and land absorb and release thermal energy at the same rate

• Water does not absorb thermal energy

If you wanted to swim in a lake that stays warm after sunset, which property of water explains this?

• Water releases thermal energy slowly, so it stays warm longer

• Water releases thermal energy quickly, so it cools down fast

• Water does not absorb thermal energy

• Water heats up and cools down at the same rate as land