The Earth’s temperature begins with the sun as the main source of heat energy.
30% of incoming sunlight to earth is reflected back to space by clouds and ice and other bright surfaces that incoming sunlight comes in contact with.The remaining 70% is absorbed by the land and ocean.
This makes the sea,rocks and air warm;this heat energy is later radiated from these.
When microscopic water or natural greenhouse gas molecules come into contact with the radiating energy from the earth’s surface they absorb the energy and behave in comparison to tiny heaters such as bricks in the fireplace they radiate heat even when the fire goes out.
Heat energy radiated back to earth heats both the lower atmosphere and the surface enhancing the heating the earth gets only from direct sunlight.
The absorption and radiation of heat by the atmosphere is what is termed to as THE NATURAL GREENHOUSE EFFECT.
The natural greenhouse effect is essential for maintaining life on earth,if the natural greenhouse effect didn’t exist the earth’s average surface temperature would be too chilly to support life. According to research if this phenomenon wasn’t there temperatures on earth would be -18°C/0° F.
As always, QUOTE OF THE POST;
Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
-George Bernard Shaw
Thank you for reading,I hope you stay.
I was your writer Faith Wangu Karanja(Environmental Scientist, C.E.O and Founder of My Green Bubble).
love&light.
CLEANTECH CONSULTANCY KE 