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A dull surface will absorb infrared best, but it needs to be dull at infrared wavelengths. Do not judge the infrared behavior by the visible performance.
The Sun emits infrared radiation, as well as a broad spectrum of other rays of electromagnetic radiation. It is the infrared band, that just beyond (and just longer in wavelength) what we see as the color red, which reacts with matter to increase its temperature. Infrared from sunlight heats the Earth's surface and atmosphere.
They scatter sunlight, reducing the amount that reaches the surface as direct radiation (increasing the amount that reaches as diffuse).
Glass, Chrome
Earth's atmosphere does have greenhouse gases. These gases absorb some of the infrared radiation emitted by Earth's surface. If it did not, Earth would grow warmer and warmer as it absorbed more and more solar radiation. Greenhouse gas molecules absorb and emit infrared radiation.
Most of the solar radiation is absorbed when it reaches the surface of the earth. Some of the solar radiation is also absorbed in the atmosphere.
90% of radiation reaching the surface of the earth is absorbed! and 10% is reflected into space.
The wavelength is longer. Energy is re-radiated by the Earth as infrared radiation (heat).
Infrared radiation.
It find its way to earth
Infrared Radiation
The solar radiation that reaches the earths surface from the sun is called INSOLATION
It find its way to earth
Infrared radiation
Infrared radiation
The heat rises in the form of infrared radiation, which is easily captured by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Some is absorbed by molecules in the atmosphere (such as ultraviolet absorption by ozone), some is absorbed on the surface, and some is reflected by clouds or the surface back into space. The surface will re-radiate much of the absorbed solar radiation as infrared (thermal) radiation, and some of this is then absorbed by atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.