Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature

Why is the heat balance important?

Earth’s heat balance is and extremely important factor in what makes the Earth livable. The fact that the Earth can respond to slight changes in the amount of incoming radiation to maintain a fairly stable temperature is a result of Earth’s energy budget.

What is the relationship between solar radiation and temperature?

When the sun’s rays strike Earth’s surface near the equator, the incoming solar radiation is more direct (nearly perpendicular or closer to a 90˚ angle). Therefore, the solar radiation is concentrated over a smaller surface area, causing warmer temperatures.

What is the heating effect of solar radiation?

The heating effect is caused by infrared radiation transferring heat between the surface, water, and air.

Is solar radiation hot or cold?

During the day, the sun sends heat to the earth. The technical term for this is solar radiation. The earth also radiates heat back out, but at a lower rate. The net result is a rise in temperatures when the sun is up.

What is the main cause of solar radiation?

Solar radiation also called as the solar resource or just sunlight, is a general term for the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. Solar radiation can be captured and turned into useful forms of energy, such as heat and electricity, using a variety of technologies.

What are the different types of solar radiation?

The term solar radiation usually refers to electromagnetic waves, including light. The three major types of solar radiation are the visible, infrared, and ultraviolet wavelengths of light. Light travels from solar emissions from the sun to planet Earth.



Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature| Class 11

Class 11 Notes Chapter 8 discusses Solar Radiation, Heat Balance, and Temperature. Solar radiation is an electromagnetic energy that is released by the sun. It is the major and primary source of the land heating process and also helps in the photosynthesis process. Heat balance is a natural phenomenon that helps the atmosphere absorb a certain amount of heat from the sun and release that same amount of heat into space. To sum up, we can say the temperature of our planet is neither too hot nor too cold as it always supports the life present on it.

In this article, we are going to discuss Chapter 8 by considering Solar Radiation, Heat Balance, and Temperature in detail.

Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature| Class 11

Similar Reads

Solar Radiation

Solar radiation is an electromagnetic energy that is released by the sun. It is the major and primary source of the land heating process and also helps in the photosynthesis process. Most of the energy received by the Earth is from solar radiation. The energy received by Earth in the form of wavelength is known as insolation....

Variability of Isolation at the Surface of the Earth

Throughout the day, across seasons, and over the course of a year, the amount and intensity of incoming solar radiation, or insolation, fluctuate. Several factors contribute to these variations:...

Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere

The atmosphere experiences heating and cooling through various mechanisms:...

Temperature

Temperature, a measure of heat resulting from the interaction between insolation and the atmosphere and Earth’s surface, is crucial for understanding climatic patterns. While heat signifies the molecular movement of a substance’s particles, temperature quantifies how hot or cold something is....

Inversion of Temperature

Typically, as elevation increases, temperature decreases, following the normal lapse rate. However, there are instances where this pattern is reversed, known as temperature inversion. Although usually short-lived, temperature inversion is not uncommon. Clear, calm winter nights are conducive to inversion, as the Earth cools faster than the air above it by early morning....

Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature- FAQs

Why is the heat balance important?...