How does most of the energy from the sun travel to earths surface?

Answer 1

Energy travels from the sun to the earth in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

Some other examples of the same process are:

-- you feel the warmth of a campfire on your face

-- you see a star in the night sky when you look up

-- your radio and TV sets receive energy from transmitters across town

-- the little dish on your garage receives TV channels from a satellite 22,000 miles away

-- energy flows from the magnetron in the microwave oven into the lump of leftover meat loaf

-- energy flows from the head of the X-ray machine, through your teeth, and into

a piece of photo film in your mouth

-- energy flows out from the front of your flashlight, bounces off your car keys on the ground,

and back to your eyes

-- energy flows from the UV tubes in the cover of the tanning bed down to the platform,

where it sets to work destroying your skin cells

-- energy radiates from the radar dish, bounces off the rain drops, and back to the radar receiver,

which displays it on the screen and the guy knows it's raining out there

-- energy flows in turn between the airplane and the air traffic control center, allowing people

at each end to talk to each other and set up an orderly appointment for a smooth landing.

Answer 2

Most of the energy from the sun reaches Earth's surface in the form of electromagnetic radiation, specifically in the form of visible light. This radiation travels through the vacuum of space and enters Earth's atmosphere, where a small portion is scattered or absorbed, while the majority penetrates the atmosphere to reach the surface.