BIOL150 Chapter 2: Biol 150 Chap 2 Climate
14 Sep 2018
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Climate: long-term average pattern of weather and may be described on a local, regional or global scale. Different from weather which is the combination of temperature, humidity and other atmospheric conditions occurring at a specific place and time. 2. 1 solar radiation (the electromagnetic energy emanating from the sun) Sun (hot object) emits shortwave radiation; whereas earth (cooler object) emits longwave radiation. Only 51% of solar radiation reaches and makes it to earth"s surface, the remaining radiation may be reflected. Of the 51 units of the insolation (direct and indirect solar radiation reaches earth"s surface) Heat the air next to earth"s surface, affecting thermal conditions for organisms. Heat the landmasses and oceans, which in turn emit radiation back to the atmosphere as thermal radiation. Although earth receives shortwave radiation only by day, it emits longwave radiation both day and night. Most is absorbed by water vapour and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and by clouds.
