What happens to visible sunlight photons when they get to the Earth’s atmosphere?
Visible light from the Sun arrives at the top of Earth's atmosphere. As the light enters the atmosphere, some of it is scattered by air molecules or reflected from white clouds back into space.
What is the effect of clouds on sunlight reaching Earth?
For example, land located over tropical regions can reflect more sunlight than tropical oceans. Clouds, especially, low, thick clouds, reflect incoming sunlight (shortwave radiation) back to space. High clouds reflect less solar radiation and trap longwave, infrared radiation (heat) re-radiated from Earth's surface.
How does cloud cover affect how much visible light is reflected back to space?
Because a cloud usually has a higher albedo than the surface beneath it, the cloud reflects more shortwave radiation back to space than the surface would in the absence of the cloud, thus leaving less solar energy available to heat the surface and atmosphere.
Which of the following statements correctly explain how radiation in cloud cover interact?
Which of the following statements correctly explain how radiation and cloud cover interact? More outgoing radiation is reflected back to Earth on cloudy nights than is reflected on clear nights. More incoming radiation reaches the surface of the Earth on clear days than does on cloudy days.
What happens to the incoming solar radiation after it is reflected off the surface of the Earth?
The Earth absorbs most of the energy reaching its surface, a small fraction is reflected. In total approximately 70% of incoming radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere and the Earth's surface while around 30% is reflected back to space and does not heat the surface.
What happens to the sunlight photons?
Light energy is converted directly into electricity by transferring sunlight photon energy into electrical energy.
What is the cloud albedo effect?
Cloud albedo is a measure of the albedo or reflectivity of a cloud. Clouds regulate the amount of solar radiation absorbed by a planet and its solar surface irradiance. Generally, increased cloud cover correlates to a higher albedo and a lower absorption of solar energy.
Do clouds reflect or scatter light?
As we saw in the laser demonstration, cloud droplets and ice crystals are good scatters of light. Cloud droplets and ice crystals though are much larger than air molecules. Because of this they scatter all the colors in equal amounts. When white light strikes a cloud, white light is scattered and reflected.
How does cloud cover affect temperature during the day and night?
High-level, feathery clouds help heat the planet during the day, allowing sunlight to penetrate the surface and prevent heat from escaping. Meanwhile, lower level clouds often reflect heat from the sun back into space and keep the surface temperatures cool.
How a cloudy day will influence the percentage insolation received by the Earth?
The assertion that a very cloudy day could reduce the insolation to less as 150 W/m2 was made using on the fact that on a cloudy day the atmosphere can reduce the insolation that hits the earth's atmosphere by almost 90%.
What happens to the incoming solar radiation that is not absorbed by Earth’s surface and the atmosphere?
In total approximately 70% of incoming radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere and the Earth's surface while around 30% is reflected back to space and does not heat the surface.
What is albedo effect?
The albedo effect on land. Illustration: Norwegian Polar Institute. Albedo is an expression of the ability of surfaces to reflect sunlight (heat from the sun). Light-coloured surfaces return a large part of the sunrays back to the atmosphere (high albedo). Dark surfaces absorb the rays from the sun (low albedo).
When a photon gets absorbed what happens next?
If the photon energy is absorbed, the energy from the photon typically manifests itself as heating the matter up. The absorption of light makes an object dark or opaque to the wavelengths or colors of the incoming wave: Wood is opaque to visible light.
What happens when the light photon hits the soil?
Well it happens by the following means: the atoms in the minerals making up the dirt are in constant vibration. Now when the photons from the sun hit the atom, the electrons in the atoms making up the dirt accept the energy and vibrate a little faster… we say that the dirt absorbs sunlight and heats up!!!
Why does albedo change throughout the day?
During a day the albedo value changes, even when the material is the same. It is because that albedo is function of three things: (1) material, (2) light source condition, (3) geometry of the environment and the material itself (roughness).
How does cloud formation affect the albedo of the Earth?
The presence of clouds dramatically increases Earth's overall albedo, reflecting a lot of the incoming sunlight back into space. Increased cloudiness would be expected to further reduce the amount of sunlight reaching our planet's surface, thus providing a net cooling effect.
Why do clouds scatter light and not reflect it?
As we saw in the laser demonstration, cloud droplets and ice crystals are good scatters of light. Cloud droplets and ice crystals though are much larger than air molecules. Because of this they scatter all the colors in equal amounts. When white light strikes a cloud, white light is scattered and reflected.
Do clouds reflect sunlight?
While clouds strongly reflect sunlight, as indicated by their bright white color, they also absorb the heat that radiates from Earth's surface. Anything that absorbs energy must also re-emit energy.
What happens to the temperature on a cloudy day?
Clouds can block light and heat from the Sun, making Earth's temperature cooler. You've probably noticed this kind of cooldown on a cloudy day. However, some heat from the Sun does get down to Earth. Clouds can trap that heat from the Sun.
How do clouds affect daytime temperatures?
High-level, feathery clouds help heat the planet during the day, allowing sunlight to penetrate the surface and prevent heat from escaping. Meanwhile, lower level clouds often reflect heat from the sun back into space and keep the surface temperatures cool.
Can you get solar energy on a cloudy day?
Photovoltaic panels can use direct or indirect sunlight to generate power, though they are most effective in direct sunlight. Solar panels will still work even when the light is reflected or partially blocked by clouds. Rain actually helps to keep your panels operating efficiently by washing away any dust or dirt.
How much amount of incoming solar radiation is lost by clouds due to reflection?
29% Of the 340 watts per square meter of solar energy that falls on the Earth, 29% is reflected back into space, primarily by clouds, but also by other bright surfaces and the atmosphere itself. About 23% of incoming energy is absorbed in the atmosphere by atmospheric gases, dust, and other particles.
What happens to solar energy that travels to Earth and reaches its surface?
Once the sun's energy reaches earth, it is intercepted first by the atmosphere. A small part of the sun's energy is directly absorbed, particularly by certain gases such as ozone and water vapor. Some of the sun's energy is reflected back to space by clouds and the earth's surface.
How do clouds affect albedo?
Clouds regulate the amount of solar radiation absorbed by a planet and its solar surface irradiance. Generally, increased cloud cover correlates to a higher albedo and a lower absorption of solar energy. Cloud albedo strongly influences the Earth's energy budget, accounting for approximately half of Earth's albedo.
What happens to a photon of visible light when it is absorbed by an electron?
When an electron is hit by a photon of light, it absorbs the quanta of energy the photon was carrying and moves to a higher energy state. One way of thinking about this higher energy state is to imagine that the electron is now moving faster, (it has just been "hit" by a rapidly moving photon).
Where does light go when absorbed?
If the photon energy is absorbed, the energy from the photon typically manifests itself as heating the matter up. The absorption of light makes an object dark or opaque to the wavelengths or colors of the incoming wave: Wood is opaque to visible light.
What happens to light when it hits the atmosphere?
When sunlight passes through the atmosphere, it is interrupted by the various particles. When light hits relatively large particles — such as water, dust, or pollen — it simply bounces off in different directions.
What is the albedo effect on Earth?
The albedo effect on land. Albedo is an expression of the ability of surfaces to reflect sunlight (heat from the sun). Light-coloured surfaces return a large part of the sunrays back to the atmosphere (high albedo). Dark surfaces absorb the rays from the sun (low albedo).
What happens if Earth’s albedo increases?
The lower the albedo, the more radiation from the Sun that gets absorbed by the planet, and temperatures will rise. If the albedo is higher, and the Earth is more reflective, more of the radiation is returned to space, and the planet cools. An example of this albedo effect is the snow temperature feedback.
What increases Earth’s albedo?
From a satellite's perspective, aerosols raise the Earth's albedo, or make it appear brighter, by scattering and reflecting sunlight back to space. The overall effect of these tiny particles is to cool the surface by absorbing and reflecting incoming solar radiation.