Energy in the atmosphere

Emmie Landry, Arianna Hancock,

Lexis Dodd, and Christy Thammavongsa

Three forms of Radiation

Electromagnetic waves, which are from space

Infrared radiation, is the long wavesUltraviolet radiation, is the short waves

How energy gets to earth

Energy gets to Earth by electromagnetic waves. When Earth’s surface is heated, it radiates some of the energy from the sun back into the atmosphere in the form of longer wavelength radiation.

Waves

Blue and violet waves are the shortest waves and red and orange are the longest waves.

Energy in the atmosphere

Energy from the sun is absorbed within the atmosphere. Water vapor and carbon dioxide absorb some infrared radiation. The ozone layer in the stratosphere absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation. Clouds, dust and other gases also absorb energy from the sun.

Energy at the earths surface

Some of the sun’s energy reaches Earth’s surface and it is reflected back into the atmosphere. Some of the energy, however, is absorbed by the land and water and changed into heat.

Absorbed energy

Volcanic Eruption

If a volcano erupted it would make the sunrise and sunset more red because the particles from the volcanic ash would enter the air and add more particles which would absorb more blue and violet waves and make it redder.

Energy absorbed by the sun

The energy from the sun that is absorbed by Earth’s surface is radiated/ reflected back into the atmosphere.

Why is the sky blue?

The sky is blue because gas molecules scatter short wavelength of visible light.

Why are sunsets red?

Sunsets are red because when the sun lowers there are more gas molecules which absorb blue and violet rays making them red.

What would happen without the green house effect?

Without the green house effect which is the process by which heat is trapped in the atmosphere by water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and other gasses that form a blanket around the earth. Without the greenhouse effect we would be dead. We would freeze to death because there would be nothing to heat the earth.

Green House

THE END