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Why is much of the sun's radiation reflected back in to space by earth?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Such reflection is called the albedo. For the earth it is 30 - 35%
Florine Wiza
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How is energy transferred within the earth's atmosphere and throughtout the oceans?
Radiation is the only way i came up with. :/
What happens to the suns energy that earth absorbs?
Basically, one of three things: - reflection back into space - Heating of the ground, water and atmosphere - Absorption by plants to drive photosynthesis
What is an instrument sent to space to relay information back to earth?
A satellite.
What happens to solar energy when it reached earth?
Solar energy that reaches the Earth is either absorbed, or reflected back into space. Water or clouds reflect the energy, and about 30% of all the sunlight that hits the Earth is reflected away. Of the solar energy, that is absorbed, some of it becomes heat, and some of that is re-radiated into space at night. This is why clear nights are often so cold; the Earth's heat is being radiated back into space. On cloudy nights, the heat is trapped between the surface and the clouds, keeping things warmer. Some of the sunlight/heat goes into evaporating water from lakes or rivers, and the water vapor falls as rain later on. Some of the rain is trapped in reservoirs, or runs through dams and turbines, so hydroelectric power is actually solar power. Some of the sunlight is absorbed by plants, and the living cells of the plants use photosynthesis to convert other matter such as soil and water into wood or plant matter. If we burn the wood, we're actually releasing solar energy back into the environment. Plants die and fall to the ground, and eventually decay. Over the course of millions of years, the decaying organic material becomes fossilized, compressed, and transformed; it becomes coal, or oil, or natural gas. Those "fossil fuels" are actually million-year-old trapped solar energy! The energy balance of the Earth is maintained because if the Earth heats up much, the heat helps evaporate water that forms clouds; the clouds are reflective, and more sunlight is reflected away.
What happens to solar energy that reaches the Earth?
Solar energy that reaches the Earth is either absorbed, or reflected back into space. Water or clouds reflect the energy, and about 30% of all the sunlight that hits the Earth is reflected away. Of the solar energy, that is absorbed, some of it becomes heat, and some of that is re-radiated into space at night. This is why clear nights are often so cold; the Earth's heat is being radiated back into space. On cloudy nights, the heat is trapped between the surface and the clouds, keeping things warmer. Some of the sunlight/heat goes into evaporating water from lakes or rivers, and the water vapor falls as rain later on. Some of the rain is trapped in reservoirs, or runs through dams and turbines, so hydroelectric power is actually solar power. Some of the sunlight is absorbed by plants, and the living cells of the plants use photosynthesis to convert other matter such as soil and water into wood or plant matter. If we burn the wood, we're actually releasing solar energy back into the environment. Plants die and fall to the ground, and eventually decay. Over the course of millions of years, the decaying organic material becomes fossilized, compressed, and transformed; it becomes coal, or oil, or natural gas. Those "fossil fuels" are actually million-year-old trapped solar energy! The energy balance of the Earth is maintained because if the Earth heats up much, the heat helps evaporate water that forms clouds; the clouds are reflective, and more sunlight is reflected away.
How much solar energy is reflected by the atmosphere and earth's surface?
About 6% of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space from the atmosphere and 4% by the surface of the earth.Incoming solar radiation: 100%Reflected by the atmosphere: 6% : Absorbed by the atmosphere: 16%Continuing incoming solar radiation: 78%Reflected by clouds: 20% : Absorbed by clouds: 3%Continuing incoming solar radiation: 55%Reflected by the earth's surface: 4% : Absorbed by the earth's surface (lands and oceans): 51%
How do you define solar energy?
Solar energy can be the suns rays, or it can be space weather. But mostly it's the energy Earth gets from the sun for radiation or it can be reflected back into space.
How does radiation directed at the Earth fail to reach the surface?
Some of it is reflected back into space. Some of it is absorbed by the atmosphere. Some of it is scattered by the atmosphere.
In what form is radiant energy reflected back into space?
Energy is re-radiated by the Earth as infrared (thermal) radiation.
Why is the sun's radiation reflected back into space?
its because of the ozone layer turning the suns rays into longwaves and sending them back into space
How is 34 percent of the energy from the sun reflected off the troposphere?
About 26% of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space from the clouds and atmosphere. Another 16% is absorbed by the atmosphere.Incoming solar radiation: 100%Reflected by the atmosphere: 6% : Absorbed by the atmosphere: 16%Continuing incoming solar radiation: 78%Reflected by clouds: 20% : Absorbed by clouds: 3%Continuing incoming solar radiation: 55%Reflected by the earth's surface: 4% : Absorbed by the earth's surface (lands and oceans): 51%
What happens as solar radiation travels towards earth?
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.
How much solar energy is reflected back into space?
About 30% of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space.Incoming solar radiation: 100%Reflected by the atmosphere: 6% : Absorbed by the atmosphere: 16%Continuing incoming solar radiation: 78%Reflected by clouds: 20% : Absorbed by clouds: 3%Continuing incoming solar radiation: 55%Reflected by the earth's surface: 4% : Absorbed by the earth's surface (lands and oceans): 51%(Source: NASA. see link below)A:Scientists use the term albedo to describe the percentage of solar radiation reflected back into space by an object or surface. A perfectly black surface has an albedo of 0 (all radiation is absorbed).A perfectly mirror-finished surface has an albedo of 1.0 (all radiation is reflected).Earth's average albedo is about 0.3. In other words, about 30 percent of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space (from land, sea, clouds, ice and atmosphere) and 70 percent is absorbed.From point to point on the Earth's surface, the albedo varies; high for clouds or snow, low for cities and paved areas, intermediate for vegetation. Overall, averaging the bright areas with the cities, the Earth's albedo is about 0.3 or perhaps just a little higher; 0.34 or so.Well, all of it is not. Some of it is absorbed by the oceans, some by dry land, and some by the ice caps.
What is the sun's energy reflected into?
Solar energy reflected by clouds (20%) and the earth's surface (4%) is all reflected back into space.
The atmosphere is heated chiefly by radiation emitted by Earth?
The atmosphere is heated chiefly by radiation from Earth's surface rather than by direct solar radiation because about 50 percent of the solar energy is absorbed at Earth's surface. 30 percent is reflected back to space. 20 percent is absorbed by clouds and the atmosphere's gases.
What happens to the solar energy that is absorbed by earth?
Most of it is reflected back into space.
How is solar energy reflected by the earth?
The Sun's light enters the Earth through refraction,because if it wouldn't enter earth only if it reflected.
