How does the greenhouse effect help to maintain life on Earth and how does human activity enhance this effect?
How is the atmosphere as a system modelled to quantify the Earth–atmosphere energy balance?
the conservation of energy
emissivity as the ratio of the power radiated per unit area by a surface compared to that of an ideal black surface at the same temperature as given by emissivity = power radiated per unit area/ (σT4)
albedo as a measure of the average energy reflected off a macroscopic system as given by: albedo = total scattered power/total incident power
that Earth’s albedo varies daily and is dependent on cloud formations and latitude
the solar constant S
that the incoming radiative power is dependent on the projected surface of a planet along the direction of the path of the rays, resulting in a mean value of the incoming intensity being S/4
that methane, water vapour, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide, are the main greenhouse gases and each of these has origins that are both natural and created by human activity
the absorption of infrared radiation by the main greenhouse gases in terms of the molecular energy levels and the subsequent emission of radiation in all directions
that the greenhouse effect can be explained in terms of both a resonance model and molecular energy levels
that the augmentation of the greenhouse effect due to human activities is known as the enhanced greenhouse effect.
Problems will include the estimation of equilibrium temperature of a body using energy balance between incoming and outgoing radiation intensity, including albedo, emissivity, and solar or other constants.
Energy balance problems will include energy exchanged between the surface and the atmosphere of a body.
The burning of fossil fuels is a primary cause of the enhanced greenhouse effect.
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