GG101 Lecture 2: GG101 - Chapter 2
Document Summary
Chapter 2: solar energy to earth and the seasons. Su(cid:374)spots are (cid:272)aused (cid:271)(cid:455) (cid:373)ag(cid:374)eti(cid:272) stor(cid:373)s o(cid:374) the su(cid:374) the(cid:455) are (cid:373)ore tha(cid:374) (cid:1005)(cid:1006) ti(cid:373)es earth"s diameter. Sunspots have an activity cycle of 11 years. Result of our atmosphere and magnetic field interacting with the matter from the sun. Waves move as long waves or short waves. Short wave length and long wave lengths differ by the distance between 2 crest/2 troughts: d of crest to crest = wavelength. Frequency is how many lengths pass through a point per unit of time. Wavelength of radiated energy depends on the temperature of the radiating body (stefan- Boltzmann law: sun is hotter, so radiates shorter wave energy, mainly visible and near infrared, shorter wavelengths have higher energy, earth is cooler, so radiates longer wave energy, mainly thermal infrared. Most of the energy we get from the sun is high frequency, small wavelength, and high energy.
