1. Heat in the Atmosphere

2. Radiation:
 All energy that travels through space as waves, all are
part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum

3. Electromagnetic Spectrum:
 All the frequencies and wavelengths of radiation
 Includes radio, micro, infrared, visible light, UV, X-
rays, and gamma rays

4. Layers of the Atmosphere and Solar Radiation:
 Thermosphere and mesosphere absorb all
wavelengths shorter than visible light
 Carbon dioxide and water vapor absorb infrared rays
in troposphere
 Visible light is barely absorbed

5. Scattering:
 The disruption and bending of solar rays, allows light
to come in at all angles and causes the sky to be blue

6. Reflection:
 Solar energy that reaches the Earth and is reflected
back depending on characteristics such as
color, texture, composition, volume, mass, transpare
ncy, state of matter, intensity of light, and amount of
time exposed

7. Albedo:
 The fraction of solar radiation that is reflected off the
surface

8. Greenhouse Effect:
 The warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of
Earth that occurs when carbon dioxide, water vapor
and other gases in the air absorb and reradiate the
infrared radiation (heat)

9. Global Warming:
a) Usually the amount of solar energy that enters the
atmosphere is equal to the amount that escapes
b) Human effects have led to an imbalance or
reduction of solar energy escaping back into
space, thus resulting in higher global temperatures
due to excess carbon dioxide being released

10. Carbon Cycle:

11. Effect of the Angle of the Sun
a) The more direct the sunlight, the higher the
temperatures because the energy is concentrated in
a smaller area
b) As a result, seasons are determined by the tilt of the
Earth
c) Therefore, we are angled towards the sun during
summer and away during winter
d) We are closer to the sun during the winter and
farther away during the summer

12. Conduction:
 The transfer of energy through direct contact
 The denser the material, the closer the atoms, the
better the conductor

13. Convection:
 Warmer less dense air rises, cooler more dense air
sinks