How does sunlight pass through the atmosphere?

How does sunlight pass through the atmosphere?

On its path through the atmosphere the solar radiation is absorbed and weakened by various constituents of the atmosphere. It is also scattered by air molecules and dust particles. Short wavelengths of light, such as blue, scatter more easily than do the longer red wavelengths.

How is sunlight filtered through the Earth’s atmosphere and reflected back to space?

So about 30% of the incoming sunlight is reflected back into space by clouds or light areas on Earth’s surface, or scattered back out into space by gas molecules in the atmosphere (that scattering is what makes the sky blue, not black!).

How does sunlight get to Earth and how does it affect the Earth?

The Sun warms our seas, stirs our atmosphere, generates our weather patterns, and gives energy to the growing green plants that provide the food and oxygen for life on Earth. We know the Sun through its heat and light, but other, less obvious aspects of the Sun affect Earth and society.

What happens to light leaving the Earth?

Light can be bent by things it passes through. Then some of the light may be bounced back out (reflected). But some of it is absorbed by many things, such as the ground, water,trees, buildings, even you. It becomes heat.

How much sunlight reaches the earth’s surface?

How much light actually reaches the Earth’s surface? Only 56% of the solar radiation that reaches the atmosphere makes it through to earths surface. The sun’s radiation must make it through multiple barriers before it reaches Earth’s surface. The first barrier is the atmosphere.

How do clouds reflect sunlight?

Clouds cool the Earth by reflecting incoming sunlight. The tiny drops or ice particles in clouds scatter between 20 and 90 percent of the sunlight that strikes them, giving them their bright, white appearance. From space, clouds look bright whereas large bodies of water look dark.

How does the Sun affect the Earth’s seasons?

The Short Answer: Earth’s tilted axis causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

How does the Sun affect all living things on Earth?

Without the Sun , Earth’s land, water, and air would all be frozen solid! That’s because almost all living things rely on the steady light and heat of the Sun. The Sun’s heat makes liquid water on our planet possible. And all life that we know of — from bacteria to elephants — needs liquid water to survive.

Which part of the earth receive most of the?

The equator of the earth receives most of the sun’s rays. The earth surface is divided into different latitude. The equator is said to be the zero degree latitude. This is because it lies directly over the sun.