The average intensity of the solar radiation incident on a planet is 200 W m–2.

The albedo of the planet

is 0.6. The average temperature of the planet is constant.

Which of the following is a correct statement about the intensity of radiation reflected and radiated by
the planet?
The Sun has a radius of 7.0×108m and is a distance 1.5×1011 m from Earth. The surface temperature
of the Sun is 5800 K.

Show that the intensity of the solar radiation incident on the upper atmosphere of the Earth is
approximately 1400Wm−2.

[2]

a.
The albedo of the atmosphere is 0.30. Deduce that the average intensity over the entire surface of
the Earth is 245Wm−2.

[2]

b.
Estimate the average surface temperature of the Earth.

[2
The Sun has a radius of 7.0×108m and is a distance 1.5×1011 m from Earth. The surface
temperature of the Sun is 5800 K.
The average surface temperature of the Earth is actually 288 K.
Suggest how the greenhouse effect helps explain the difference between the temperature
estimated in (c) and the actual temperature of the Earth

The average albedo of glacier ice is 0.25.

What is

power absorbed by glacier ice/power reflected by glacier ice ?

The three statements give possible reasons why an average value should be used for
the solar constant.
I. The Sun’s output varies during its 11 year cycle.
II. The Earth is in elliptical orbit around the Sun.
III. The plane of the Earth’s spin on its axis is tilted to the plane of its orbit about the Sun.
Which are the correct reasons for using an average value for the solar constant?

Three gases in the atmosphere are

I. carbon dioxide (CO2)
II. dinitrogen monoxide (N2O)
III. oxygen (O2).
Which of these are considered to be greenhouse gases
A satellite powered by solar cells directed towards the Sun is in a polar orbit about the Earth.

The satellite is orbiting the Earth at a distance of 6600 km from the centre of the Earth.

The satellite carries an experiment that measures the peak wavelength emitted by different objects. The
Sun emits radiation that has a peak wavelength λS of 509 nm. The peak wavelength λE of the radiation
emitted by the Earth is 10.1 μm.

Determine the orbital period for the satellite.

Mass of Earth = 6.0 x 1024 kg

Determine the mean temperature of the Earth.

Suggest how the difference between λS and λE helps to account for the greenhouse effect.

Not all scientists agree that global warming is caused by the activities of man.

Outline how scientists try to ensure agreement on a scientific issue.

The dashed line on the graph shows the variation with wavelength of the intensity of solar radiation
before passing through the Earth’s atmosphere.

The solid line on the graph shows the variation with wavelength of the intensity of solar radiation
after it has passed through the Earth’s atmosphere.

Which feature of the graph helps explain the greenhouse effect?

A. Infrared radiation is absorbed at specific wavelengths.
B. There is little absorption at infrared wavelengths.
C. There is substantial absorption at visible wavelengths.
D. There is little absorption at UV wavelengths.
The diagram shows a simple climate model for the Earth.

What does this model predict for the average albedo of the Earth?
The diagram shows an energy balance climate model for a planet.

The intensities of the reflected and radiated radiation are given in terms of the incident intensity II.
Which of the following is the albedo of this planet?
Energy balance of the Earth

1) The intensity of the Sun’s radiation at the position of the Earth is approximately 1400 W m−2.
Suggest why the average power received per unit area of the Earth is 350 W m−2.

2)The diagram shows a simplified model of the energy balance of the Earth’s surface. The diagram
shows radiation entering or leaving the Earth’s surface only.

The average equilibrium temperature of the Earth’s surface is TE and that of the atmosphere is TA =
242K.
(i) Using the data from the diagram, state the emissivity of the atmosphere.
(ii) Show that the intensity of the radiation radiated by the atmosphere towards the Earth’s surface is
136Wm−2.
(iii) By reference to the energy balance of the Earth’s surface, calculate TE

3) (i) Outline a mechanism by which part of the radiation radiated by the Earth’s surface is absorbed
by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
(ii) Suggest why the incoming solar radiation is not affected by the mechanism you outlined in (c)(i).
(iii) Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas. State one source and one sink (object that removes
CO2) of this ga
Greenhouse effect

1) Describe what is meant by the greenhouse effect in the Earth’s atmosphere.

[3]
2) The graph shows the variation with frequency of the percentage transmittance of electromagnetic
waves through water vapour in the atmosphere.

(i) Show that the reduction in percentage transmittance labelled X occurs at a wavelength equal to
approximately 5 μm.
(ii) Suggest, with reference to resonance, the possible reasons for the sharp reduction in percentage
transmittance at a wavelength of 5 μm.
(iii) Explain how the reduction in percentage transmittance, labelled X on the graph opposite,
accounts for the greenhouse effect.
(iv) Outline how an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may lead
to global warming.