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The clouds play a role similar to the ozone layer. Ultra violet radiation coming from the sun strikes the clouds and the ozone layer and is repelled back into space allowing only "safe" light waves to hit the Earth. The ground absorbs heat, and then releases it. The rising heat reaches the clouds and is reflected back down to the Earth.
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Why is it more likely to be a frosty night in winter if the sky is clear?
When sky is clear the heat from earth will radiate to space and cool the night air faster. If cloudy the heat radiated is reflected back from clouds and it does not get so cool
What reflects heat back into space and traps heat near Earth?
Clouds and the atmosphere.
Eventually all the energy that reaches the earth's surface is?
Radiated away as heat. If the Earth lost energy constantly, it would eventually freeze; if it gained energy constantly, it would eventually boil. The Earth has an energy balance; equal amounts of energy are absorbed by the Earth as sunlight as are radiated away as heat. If the Earth were to become too warm, more clouds would form, reflecting light away and causing the Earth to cool down. If the Earth were to get too cold, fewer clouds would form, allowing more heat and light in. However, over the past few million years, the Earth has had more ice ages than moderate periods.
How can thick clouds keep us warmer at night?
Thick clouds keep us warmer at night. This happens because clouds stop some of the heat from earth escaping into the atmosphere.
The interstellar clouds called molecular clouds are?
the cool clouds in which stars form.
How do clouds help heat the earth?
Clouds don't really heat the Earth. Some clouds keep the Earth from losing heat. Heat is moved in different ways. One way is radiation. The Sun warms the Earth with radiated heat. But, the Earth also radiates heat. Clouds absorb some of the heat the Earth radiates and radiate it back to the Earth. If there are no clouds present all of the heat the Earth radiates go out into space and is lost.
Do high or low clouds heat the earth?
Clouds do not heat the earth though they can reduce heat radiating to space.
Why is it more likely to be a frosty night in winter if the sky is clear?
When sky is clear the heat from earth will radiate to space and cool the night air faster. If cloudy the heat radiated is reflected back from clouds and it does not get so cool
How can the clouds cool the earth?
Less light hits it
What helps heat to be trapped on the earth's surface?
the clouds
Sunlight passes through but does not heat the earth watercloudsor air?
it does not heat the clouds
What reflects heat back into space and traps heat near Earth?
Clouds and the atmosphere.
Why are cloudy days cooler but cloudy nights warmer than the clear ones?
During a clear night, as heat absorbed by the earth during the day seeps out, the atmosphere allows the heat to pass through. During a cloudy night, however, the clouds catch and retain the heat in the atmosphere.Clouds trap heat being reflected from the earthThe heat radiation lost from the earth gets reflected by the clouds back to the earth, warming it. Whereas on a clear night it just escapes into space.
How clouds reflect heat to the Earth?
For a quick answer, here ya go: Heat radiating from the sun causes the water in the oceans to evaporate. This water vapor accumulates in the atmosphere creating more clouds. The clouds form sort of a blanket that reflects heat away from the earth's surface.
How do clouds slow the rate of the earth's heating?
clouds act like insulators for Earth. they slow down the process of the sun's heat (and uv) rays reaching Earth .
Why does it cool off so quickly at night in the desert when the sky is clear?
Clouds and high humidity act as a blanket to hold in heat at night. If these are absent, the heat absorbed by the earth during the day quickly radiates back into space.
Why do clouds lessen the amount of heat received by the earth?
Because the rays of the sun bounces off the clouds and back into space before reaching the surface of the Earth.
