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That energy reaches Earth mainly in the form of visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light; most of that energy passes through the atmosphere to warm the surface. The Earth absorbs this energy from the Sun and reemits it in the form of invisible infrared light. This energy is trapped by the greenhouse effect.

How does infrared radiation heat the Earth?

Earth scientists study infrared as the thermal emission (or heat) from our planet. As incident solar radiation hits Earth, some of this energy is absorbed by the atmosphere and the surface, thereby warming the planet. This heat is emitted from Earth in the form of infrared radiation.

How does radiation help warm the Earth?

The sun's radiation strikes the ground, thus warming the rocks. As the rock's temperature rises due to conduction, heat energy is released into the atmosphere, forming a bubble of air which is warmer than the surrounding air. This bubble of air rises into the atmosphere.

How does infrared radiation affect the climate?

Just like things that have temperature emit infrared radiation and cool as a result, things that absorb infrared radiation increase in temperature. So, the greenhouse gases increase in temperature, and they share that heat with the rest of the molecules in the air.

How does the Earth keep warm?

Earth's atmosphere keeps much of the Sun's energy from escaping into space. This process, called the greenhouse effect, keeps the planet warm enough for life to exist. The atmosphere allows about half of the Sun's heat energy (50%) to reach Earth's surface.

Does the Earth absorb infrared radiation?

You have already learned that Earth's atmosphere is composed primarily of nitrogen and oxygen. These gases are transparent to incoming solar radiation. They are also transparent to outgoing infrared radiation, which means that they do not absorb or emit solar or infrared radiation.

Why does infrared feel hot?

Infrared energy is felt as heat because it interacts with molecules by exciting them, causing them to move faster which increases the internal temperature of the object absorbing the infrared energy.

How does radiation heat up the atmosphere?

When the radiation hits the ground, the rocks of the Earth get heated up. This rising of temperature of the Earths rock is due to the phenomenon of conduction. Due to conduction, warm air is released. As this warm air is hotter than the surrounding cooler air, the temperature of the atmosphere is released.

How does conduction affect the temperature of the Earth?

Conduction directly affects air temperature only a few centimeters into the atmosphere. During the day, sunlight heats the ground, which in turn heats the air directly above it via conduction. At night, the ground cools and the heat flows from the warmer air directly above to the cooler ground via conduction.

How do greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation?

The infrared radiation strikes a molecule such as carbon dioxide and causes the bonds to bend and vibrate – this is called the absorption of IR energy. The molecule gains kinetic energy by this absorption of IR radiation.