Atmosphere

Earth’s Radiation Budget Earth maintains an energy balance and a temperature balance by radiating as much energy into space as it absorbs from the Sun. This balance is known as the radiation budget.

Keeping in the Heat Of the many gases that make up the atmosphere, only a few absorb the infrared radiation released from the Earth’s surface. These few gases are the greenhouse gases.

The greenhouse gases include: – Water vapour – Carbon dioxide – Methane – Nitrous oxide (dinitrogen monoxide) – Ground level ozone – Halocarbons such as CFCs and HFCs

The retention of heat by the greenhouse gases is known as the greenhouse effect. The average global temperature is 14°C. Without greenhouse gases the Earth would have an average temperature of -19°C. Without greenhouse gases, the Earth would be too cold to sustain life as we know it.

Coriolis Effect – movement of winds

Climate vs Weather Climate: is the trend in temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and precipitation over a period of many years. Weather: applies to the above conditions as they are at on place and time

Radiation: – Radiation is the transfer of heat in the form of electromagnetic waves from the sun Methods of Heat Transfer

Conduction: – Conduction is the transfer of heat through a solid material Convection: – Convection is the transfer of heat by moving air – As air near the Earth’s surface warms due to conduction, it becomes less dense and rises – Rising warm air is replaced by descending cool, dense air, thus generating convection currents – Convection currents occur only in liquids and gases