Name: earth’s energy balance and greenhouse effect
Uploaded: 2023-09-18T17:11:15.000Z
Duration: 1 min 17 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

north-carolina-k-12-science-standard-course-of-study

NC K-12 Science Standard Course of Study

9-12

Earth and Environmental Science

Earth's Place in the Universe

ESS.EES.1.4

Radiation: Applications

All bodies with a temperature greater than absolute zero emit heat in the form of electromagnetic radiation, which is absorbed by other bodies at lower temperatures.
A black body is an ideal body that absorbs all the radiation that falls on it and reflects nothing; thus, the surface appears black.
Black holes are very close to an ideal black body; they absorb all the radiation entering the horizon and reflect nothing.
On the contrary, a reflector is that ideal body, which reflects all the radiation and absorbs none of it.
For example, when a car is parked in summer, foldable pads with silver or aluminum coating are used as a reflector to keep the car cool.
Further, out of all the radiation emitted by the Sun, some are absorbed by greenhouse gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane present in the Earth&#39;s atmosphere.
This radiation is then re-emitted in all directions, keeping the Earth warm.
This phenomenon is called the greenhouse effect, which prevents Earth from freezing and making life on Earth possible.

radiation: applications

The average temperature of Earth is the subject of much current discussion. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space; it receives almost all its energy from the radiation of the Sun and reflects some of it into outer space. Dark space is very cold, about 3 K, so Earth radiates energy into it. For instance, heat transfer occurs from soil and grasses, the rate of which can be so rapid that frost can occur on clear summer evenings, even in warm latitudes.
The average temperature of Earth is determined by its energy balance. As a first approximation, it is the temperature at which Earth radiates heat to space as fast as it receives energy from the Sun. An important parameter in calculating the temperature of Earth is its emissivity. On average, Earth&#39;s emissivity is about 0.65, but the calculation of this value is complicated by the considerable day-to-day variation in highly reflective cloud coverage.
The often-mentioned greenhouse effect is directly related to the variation of Earth&#39;s emissivity with wavelength. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon responsible for providing temperatures suitable for life on Earth; it also makes Venus unsuitable for human life. The greenhouse effect is central to the discussion of global warming due to carbon dioxide and methane emissions into Earth&#39;s atmosphere due to industry, transportation, and farming. Changes in the global climate could lead to more intense storms, precipitation changes affecting agriculture, reduction in rainforest biodiversity, and rising sea levels.

The average temperature of Earth is the subject of much current discussion. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space; it receives ...

Education

JoVE Core

Physics

Unit 1

Temperature and Heat

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

earth’s energy balance and greenhouse effect

Earth’s energy balance and the greenhouse effect help explain its average temperature. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space. It receives almost all of its energy from solar radiation, and it reflects some of that energy back into outer space.

Dark space is very cold, about 3 K, so Earth also radiates energy into it. Heat can move quickly from soil and grasses, and frost can form on clear summer evenings, even in warm latitudes. In a first approximation, Earth’s average temperature is the point where it radiates heat to space as fast as it receives energy from the Sun.

Earth’s emissivity is an important part of this calculation. Emissivity is a measure of how well a surface radiates energy. On average, Earth’s emissivity is about 0.65, but clouds make the value harder to calculate because cloud cover changes from day to day and is highly reflective.

The greenhouse effect is linked to how Earth’s emissivity changes with wavelength. This natural effect helps keep temperatures suitable for life on Earth. It also makes Venus unsuitable for human life.

The greenhouse effect is also central to global warming. Carbon dioxide and methane enter Earth’s atmosphere from industry, transportation, and farming. Changes in the global climate could bring stronger storms, shifts in precipitation that affect agriculture, lower rainforest biodiversity, and rising sea levels.

Earth’s Energy Balance and Greenhouse Effect

earths-energy-balance-and-greenhouse-effect

temperature and thermal equilibrium

Heat, Temperature, and Everyday Energy

Heat and temperature are key ideas in thermodynamics and in everyday life. People often connect temperature with hot and cold, but science gives it a more precise meaning. Temperature is the quantity measured with a thermometer. It is also linked to the average translational kinetic energy of particles. Heat is different from temperature. Heat is energy that moves from one place or material to another because there is a difference in temperature. That difference in temperature keeps heat...

calorimetry

Heat Exchange in an Insulated System

Calorimetry studies heat exchange in an insulated system. A calorimeter is a container that prevents heat transfer in or out. Scientists use calorimetry to measure heat and specific heat capacity. A calorimetry problem is any situation where the objects are thermally isolated from their surroundings. The key idea comes from conservation of energy. During heat transfer, the heat gained by the colder object must equal the heat lost by the hotter object. A simple example is water poured into a...

zeroth law of thermodynamics

Thermal Equilibrium and the Zeroth Law

The zeroth law of thermodynamics explains thermal equilibrium between objects. If object A is in equilibrium with object B, and object B is in equilibrium with object C, then object A is also in equilibrium with object C. This transitive relationship is the key idea behind the law. A simple example uses metal blocks and a metal plate at room temperature. A cold metal block and a hot metal block are both placed on the plate. Over time, the cold block and the plate reach thermal equilibrium, and...

thermometers and temperature scales

How Thermometers Measure Heat

Thermometers measure temperature by using physical properties that change in a predictable way. One common example is volume. For most substances, volume increases as temperature rises. That idea is used in alcohol thermometers and in the original mercury thermometers. Other thermometer designs use different temperature-sensitive properties. Some measure electrical resistance, color, or the emission of infrared radiation. The alcohol thermometer is a common example. It contains red-dyed...

gas thermometers and the kelvin scale

Kelvin Temperature and Gas Thermometer Standards

Kelvin temperature is the absolute scale used in science, and it starts at absolute zero. That zero point matches the lowest possible temperature, where molecular motion reaches zero or the minimum allowed by quantum mechanics. Scientists use this scale because some physical quantities, such as the volume of an ideal gas, depend directly on absolute temperature. The Kelvin scale is part of the SI system of units, so its definition is more precise than simply using water’s freezing and boiling...

thermal expansion

Thermal Expansion in Air, Water, and Solids

Thermal expansion is the change in size or volume of a material as its temperature changes. A common example is the alcohol inside a thermometer. As the temperature rises, the alcohol expands and shows the change. Heated air also expands. It becomes less dense than the cooler air around it, so the surrounding air pushes it upward. This is why steam and smoke rise and why hot air balloons float. The same effect happens in liquids and gases, and it helps move heat upward in homes, oceans, and...

thermal stress

How Temperature Changes Create Stress

Thermal stress is the stress that builds up when an object changes temperature but cannot expand or contract freely. If the object would expand without restraint, the stress is compressive. If it would contract, the stress is tensile. This stress from heating or cooling can become large enough to cause damage. Engineers often reduce it by designing parts so they can move as temperature changes. Highway blocks, for example, are separated by gaps so thermal stress does not build up. When gaps...

thermal expansion and thermal stress: problem solving

thermal-expansion-and-thermal-stress-problem-solving

Golden Gate Bridge Thermal Expansion

Thermal expansion and thermal stress are shown through the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge faces temperatures from -15 °C to 40 °C. At its coldest, the main span is 1275 m long. Assuming the bridge is made entirely of steel, the example asks for the change in its length across this temperature range. To solve the problem, the known values must be identified first. The initial length is 1275 m. The coefficient of linear expansion for steel is 12 x 10 -6 /°C, and the change in temperature is 55...

heat flow and specific heat

Heat Units and Specific Heat

Heat is energy transferred because of a temperature difference, and it can change an object’s temperature. Since heat is energy, its SI unit is the joule (J). Heat transfer is the movement of energy from one place or material to another, and it plays a role in home heating, cooking, and many industrial processes. Two common units for heat are the calorie and the kilocalorie. A calorie (cal) is the energy needed to change the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 °C, specifically between 14.5 °C and...

phase changes

Heat and Phase Change Energy

Heat and phase change energy explain why substances melt, freeze, boil, and condense. A solid turns into a liquid during melting, also called fusion. The reverse process is freezing. A liquid turns into a gas during evaporation. The reverse process is condensation. Each substance changes phase at specific temperatures. The melting point is the temperature where a substance melts or freezes. The boiling point is the temperature where a substance boils or condenses. These temperatures depend on...

mechanisms of heat transfer i

Three Ways Heat Moves Between Objects

Heat transfer happens when there is a temperature difference. It can move fast, like through a cooking pan, or slowly, like through the walls of a picnic ice box. Heat transfer appears in many everyday situations, so it is hard to find a place where it does not occur. There are only three ways heat is transferred: conduction, convection, and radiation. A fireplace shows all three at once. Radiation carries most of the heat into the room. Conduction also moves heat into the room, but much more...

mechanisms of heat transfer ii

Convection and Radiation in Heat Transfer

Convection and radiation are two major ways heat moves. In convection, thermal energy is carried by the large-scale flow of matter. Warm air and water rise because they are less dense, so ocean currents and large-scale atmospheric circulation move heat from the tropics toward the poles and move cold air from the poles toward the tropics. Earth’s rotation changes these moving air currents. It interacts with the flow and helps produce the eastward movement of air in the temperate zones.

conduction, convection and radiation: problem solving

conduction-convection-and-radiation-problem-solving

Heat Transfer Calculations with Conduction, Convection

Heat transfer calculations with conduction and convection use the temperature difference to find the rate of heat flow. Radiation can also be part of the process. The main idea is that heat moves only because one area is hotter than another, and a larger temperature difference leads to faster transfer. To solve a heat transfer problem, first identify the type of transfer involved. It may be conduction, convection, radiation, or a combination of all three. Next, write down the unknown...

Earth’s energy balance and the greenhouse effect help explain its average temperature. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space. It receives almost all of its energy from solar radiation, and it reflects some of that energy back into outer space. Dark space is very cold, about 3 K, so Earth also radiates energy into it. Heat can move quickly from soil and grasses, and frost can form on clear summer evenings, even in warm latitudes. In a first approximation, Earth’s...

absorption of radiation

Radiation Heat Transfer and Thermographs

Radiation heat transfer depends on temperature, surface area, and emissivity. The Stefan-Boltzmann law describes the rate of heat transfer by emitted radiation. In this law, σ is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant, A is the object’s surface area, and T is its temperature in kelvins. The fourth-power dependence on absolute temperature makes radiation highly sensitive to small temperature changes. Even a slight rise in temperature can change the emitted heat a lot. That sensitivity is why radiation...

key terms and concepts

Explore how Earth gains and loses heat, why emissivity matters, and how the greenhouse effect supports life while linking to global warming.

Earth’s Energy Balance and Greenhouse Effect | JoVE K12

physics

JoVE Core Physics introduces the theory and application of fundamental physics topics, including kinematics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, statics, waves, and acoustics, with concise and easy-to-understand animated videos. Additionally, the scientist-in-action videos demonstrate the application of related concepts in classical and original research experiments performed in today's laboratories worldwide.

Earth's Systems

ESS.EES.3.4

Pennsylvania State Academic Standards

Earth and Space Science

3.3.9-12.H

Weather and Climate

3.3.9-12.E

Louisiana Student Standards for Science

High School

Earth Science

Earth’s Systems

HS-ESS2-1

HS-ESS2-4

Physical Science

Waves And Their Applications

HS-PS4-4

Virginia  Standards of Learning

HIgh School

ES.12

ES.12.a

PS.7

PS.7.b

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

Earth Systems Science

112.49.c.8.

112.49.c.8.A.

Alabama Course of Study Science

9-12.ESS.1.2.c

9-12.ESS.1.2.e

Next Generation Science Standards

waves-and-their-applications-in-technologies-for-information-transfer

Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Earth’s Place in the Universe

HS-ESS1-1

HS-ESS2-2

Florida Department of Education

SC.912.E.7

SC.912.E.7.9

SC.912.P.10

SC.912.P.10.4

SC.912.P.10.19

south-carolina-college-and-career-ready-science-standards

South Carolina College and Career Ready Science Standards

P-PS4-4

Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion

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Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion

In the early 17th century, German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler postulated three laws for the motion of planets in the solar system. His ...

Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion

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Detection of Black Holes

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Their ...

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circular-orbits-and-critical-velocity-for-satellites

Circular Orbits and Critical Velocity for Satellites

The Moon orbits around the Earth. In turn, the Earth (and other planets) orbit the Sun. The space directly above our atmosphere is filled with artificial ...

Gravity between Spherical Bodies

Newton&#39;s law of gravitation describes the gravitational force between any two point masses. However, for extended spherical objects like the Earth, ...

Use models to illustrate the formation of the solar system.

ESS.EES.1.1

Uniform Circular Motion

Uniform circular motion is a specific type of motion in which an object travels in a circle with a constant speed. For example, any point on a propeller ...

Gyroscope: Precession

Precession can be demonstrated effectively through a spinning top. If a spinning top is placed on a flat surface near the surface of the Earth at a ...

simple-harmonic-motion-and-uniform-circular-motion

Simple Harmonic Motion and Uniform Circular Motion

While simple harmonic motion and uniform circular motion may be two separate concepts, they correlate and interlink with each other. Simple harmonic ...

Use mathematics and computational thinking to analyze Earth's motion through space.

ESS.EES.1.2

Light as Energy

The energy required to carry out photosynthesis is light&#8212; typically electromagnetic radiation from the sun. The range of all possible wavelengths is ...

Nuclear Fusion

The process of converting very light nuclei into heavier nuclei is also accompanied by the conversion of mass into large amounts of energy, a process ...

First Law of Thermodynamics

The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. This can be demonstrated within a classic food web ...

Energy Dynamics

The Food Chain
Energy is one of the most important abiotic factors in an ecosystem and organisms in an ecosystem are connected by the flow of energy and ...

Use models to illustrate how the sun produces energy.

ESS.EES.1.3

What is Weather?

Overview

Weather refers to the current state of atmospheric conditions at a specific time and place. Weather is temporary and is influenced by the ...

What is Climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, &#8220;Climate is what you expect. ...

Radiation Pressure: Problem Solving

The radiation pressure applied by an electromagnetic wave on a perfectly absorbing surface equals the energy density of the wave. The wave&#39;s momentum ...

Absorption of Radiation

The rate of heat transfer by emitted radiation is described by the Stefan-Boltzmann law of radiation:

where &#963; is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant, a ...

Construct an explanation to infer how incoming solar radiation interacts with Earth systems to support life.

Explain how Earth's position relative to the sun influences conditions on Earth.

Earth’s Energy Balance and Greenhouse Effect

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