![]() Near the equator, the Sun’s rays strike the Earth most directly, while at the poles the rays strike at a steep angle. More solar radiation is received and absorbed near the equator than at the poles. ![]() The Earth is unevenly heated because it is a sphere.īecause Earth is a sphere, not all part of the Earth receives the same amount of solar radiation. Similarly, Earth’s different surfaces and parts of the atmosphere absorb solar radiation at different rates. If you wear a black jacket, it will absorb more radiation and make you feel warmer than if you wear a white or light-colored jacket. Your skin and your clothes also absorb solar radiation and convert it to heat. You can feel this on a cold winter day when the sunshine warms your face and the air around you remains cold. This re-radiated heat is then absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases and clouds, and warm the atmosphere through the greenhouse effect.Įarth’s surfaces are better at absorbing solar radiation than air, especially surfaces that are dark in color. The more sunlight a surface absorbs, the warmer it gets, and the more energy it re-radiates as heat. This energy is then re-radiated by the Earth as longwave, infrared radiation, also known as heat. Absorption of sunlight causes the molecules of the object or surface it strikes to vibrate faster, increasing its temperature. Today, about 71% of the sunlight that reaches the Earth is absorbed by its surface and atmosphere. The Sun provides the Earth with most of its energy. What is the absorption and reflection of sunlight?
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