4: Heat and the Greenhouse Effect
- Page ID
- 50822
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Outside on a sunny day, you can feel the sun’s energy on your skin. You can feel it as heat. Standing under the shade of a tree that blocks the sun’s rays makes a significant difference in temperature. It also lowers your risk of sunburn and makes you feel much cooler. But the Sun is very far away from the Earth, where we are (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\)). The closest the Earth gets to the Sun is approximately 93 million miles. How does the sun’s energy reach so far? What does the Earth do with all this energy? And how does it affect our climate? In this investigation, we'll explore the different types of heat transfer, their mechanisms, and then focus on electromagnetic radiation and its role in heating the Earth.
- To discern one type of heat transfer from another.
- To identify the relationship between an object's temperature and the type and amount of radiation it emits.
- Distinguish the roles of the angle of insolation and the length of day in determining seasonal temperature changes.
Investigation 3 has 21 questions in total, and the list is continuous, carrying over from the first to the last subpages of the investigation.
- 4.1: Heat Transfer
- This page explains heat transfer between objects due to temperature differences, detailing three methods: conduction, convection, and radiation. It illustrates these concepts through the example of roasting a marshmallow, where conduction occurs via the skewer, convection involves the movement of warm air, and radiation involves heat emitted from the flame. Understanding these mechanisms clarifies everyday thermal interactions.
- 4.2: Radiation
- We discuss radiation, particularly the energy emitted by the Sun, which affects meteorology. Radiation is categorized by the Electromagnetic Spectrum, with longer wavelengths indicating lower energy. Key principles include the Stefan-Boltzmann Law, which states that hotter objects emit more radiation, and Wien’s Law, indicating that the Sun emits visible light while the Earth emits infrared radiation.
- 4.3: Selective Absorbers and Greenhouse Gases
- This page describes the atmosphere's selective absorbers, particularly greenhouse gases, that play a crucial role in global warming by absorbing specific radiation wavelengths. It highlights the absorption spectrum of gases like Oxygen and Ozone, emphasizing their ultraviolet absorption. Greenhouse gases mainly allow visible light through while absorbing infrared radiation, aiding heat retention.
- 4.4: Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide measurements
- We highlight the significance of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) as a greenhouse gas, particularly since the Industrial Revolution. We present data from the Keeling Curve at Mauna Loa Observatory, illustrating a consistent increase in CO2 levels since 1958, rising from a stable 280 ppm (1700-1850) to approximately 395 ppm today. The page emphasizes the critical role of monitoring CO2 concentrations in assessing the impacts of climate change.
- 4.5: The Greenhouse Effect
- This page explains the role of greenhouse gases in regulating Earth's temperatures by absorbing and re-emitting radiation. It highlights that increased concentrations affect climate, creating a simplified climate model for users to explore the relationship between greenhouse gas levels and temperatures, including historical data.
- 4.6: Accessible Descriptions
- This page provides accessible descriptions for the images in the Investigation
Thumbnail: The Sun by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory by NASA is in the Public Domain.