Energy budget

• Atmosphere


  A layer of gases surrounding the planet that is retained by Earth's gravity

  
• The atmosphere of Earth allows life to exist on Earth and impacts our lives on a daily basis
• Atmosphere


  • Absorbs ultraviolet solar radiation
  • Warms the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect)
  • Reduces temperature extremes between day and night
  • Sculpts our landscapes
  • Contains all our weather

  
• Atmospheric composition


  • Nitrogen
  • Oxygen
• Atmospheric structure


  It can be divided into 4 main layers that differ in their temperature and pressure characteristics

  
• Temperature changes with altitude
• Earth's energy budget


  The relationship between input of radiation received from the sun and the output of radiation from the Earth

  
• Earth's energy budget must be balanced
• Something is currently happening to unbalance the Earth's energy budget
• What happens to incoming solar insolation

  1. Absorbed by the sky

  2. Vertical energy transfers (radiation, conduction, convection, latent heat)

  
• Latent heat


  Energy absorbed by water molecule during evaporation, retained in the vapour molecule, and released when condensation occurs
• Incoming solar insolation is short-wave radiation, heat energy emitted from the Earth's surface is long wave radiation, and atmospheric gases absorb this (indirect heating of the atmosphere)