ENERGY TRANSFER IN THE BIOSPHERE

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

ABSORB

* To convert radiant energy into a form of energy associated with a rise in temperature

* When a substance absorbs radiant energy, the kinetic energy of its particles increases

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

ALBEDO

* The percent of incident solar energy a surface reflects

 * Is a measure of how much light that hits a surface is reflected without being absorbed. Something that appears white reflects most of the light that hits it and has a high albedo, while something that looks dark absorbs most of the light that hits it, indicating a low albedo

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

ANGLE OF INCIDENCE

* The angle between a ray falling on a surface & the line of the perpendicular to that surface

* The angle which an incident line or ray makes with a perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence.

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

ANGLE OF INCLINATION

* The degree by which Earth's poles are tilted from the perpendicular of the plane of its orbit

* Earth's angle of inclination is 23.5

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

* The entire range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation extending from radio waves (longest) to cosmic waves (shortest) 

* Is the term used by scientists to describe the entire range of light that exists. From radio waves to gamma rays, most of the light in the universe is, in fact, invisible to us! Light is a wave of alternating electric and magnetic fields

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

EQUINOX

* 1 of 2 points in earth's orbit at which the number of daylight hours anywhere on Earth's surface is equal to the number of hours of night

* An equinox is commonly regarded as the instant of time when the plane (extended indefinitely in all directions) of Earth's equator passes through the center of the Sun. This occurs twice each year, around 20 March and 23 September

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

GREENHOUSE GAS

* A gas that absorbs infrared radiation released from Earth's surface

* Greenhouse gases contribute to the greenhouse effect

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

INCIDENT

* Falling on or striking a surface

* Especially of light or other radiation falling on or striking something

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

INSOLATION

* The amount of solar energy received by a region of Earth's surface

* Insolation is the incident solar radiation onto some object. Specifically, it is a measure of the solar energy that is incident on a specified area over a set period of time

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

LATITUDE

* The imaginary lines that run parallel to Earth's equator; the angular distance of a line of latitude North or South of Earth's equator measured from 0 through 90 degrees

* Latitude is an angle (defined below) which ranges from 0° at the Equator to 90° (North or South) at the poles. Lines of constant latitude, or parallels, run east–west as circles parallel to the equator. Latitude is used together with longitude to specify the precise location of features on the surface of the Earth

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

NATURAL GREENHOUSE EFFECT

* The absorption of radiant energy by the atmosphere

*The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the Earth's surface. When the Sun's energy reaches the Earth's atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

NET RADIATION BUDGET

* The difference between the amount of incoming radiation & outgoing radiation from Earth's surface & atmosphere

* The Earth Radiation Budget is the balance between incoming energy from the sun and the outgoing longwave (thermal) and reflected shortwave energy from the Earth

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

RADIANT ENERGY

* Energy that is transmitted as electromagnetic waves

* Radiant energy is the energy of electromagnetic waves. It is a form of energy that can travel through space.

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

REFLECT

* To change the direction of an incident ray a it comes back from a surface

* (of a surface or body) throw back (heat, light, or sound) without absorbing it

ENERGY RELATIONSHIPS & THE BIOSPHERE

SOLSTICE

* One of two points in Earth's orbit at which the poles are most tilted toward or away from the Sun

* A solstice is an event occurring when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere