Lec FlashC Solar energy to earth & the seasons

Solar Energy

Energy that comes from the sun, driving climate, hydrology, geomorphological processes, and biogeographical processes on earth.

Seasonality

The seasonal variation of the sun's position above the horizon and changing day lengths throughout the year.

Altitude

The angle between the horizon and the sun.

Declination

The latitude of the subsolar point, where the sun's rays hit the Earth's surface most directly.

Revolution

The motion of the earth around the sun each year, taking approximately 365.25 days.

Rotation

The spinning of the earth on its own axis, completing one full rotation in 24 hours.

Tilt of the Earth's axis

The Earth's axis is tilted approximately 23.5 degrees from the vertical, influencing seasonal variations.

Axial Parallelism

The Earth's axis maintains the same tilt and direction throughout the year, impacting solar exposure.

Sphericity

The Earth's shape as a sphere affects the distribution of incoming solar energy.

Perihelion

The point in the Earth's orbit where it is closest to the sun.

Aphelion

The point in the Earth's orbit where it is farthest from the sun.

Homosphere

The lower layer of the atmosphere, extending from the Earth's surface up to about 80 kilometers, where composition is relatively uniform.

Heterosphere

The upper layer of the atmosphere above 80 kilometers, with a composition that varies with altitude.

Density of air

A measure of mass per unit volume, with air being less dense than liquid water.

Air pressure

The force exerted by air on a surface due to gravity, which decreases with altitude.

Acid rain

Rain that contains higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulfuric acids, resulting from atmospheric pollutants.

Ozone Layer

A region in the stratosphere that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Photochemical Smog

Air pollution formed by the reaction of sunlight with pollutants from vehicle emissions.

Anthropogenic atmosphere

Atmospheric changes and pollutants caused by human activities.

Stratosphere

The layer of the atmosphere between approximately 10 and 50 kilometers, containing the ozone layer.

Troposphere

The lowest layer of the atmosphere where weather occurs and extends about 10 kilometers above the Earth's surface.

Thermosphere

The layer of the atmosphere between approximately 80 and 480 kilometers, where temperatures increase with altitude.

Mesosphere

The atmospheric layer above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere, where temperatures decrease with altitude.