Climate Changed by Philippe Squarzoni

Page 10

Climate Changed Sampler

Climate Changed Sampler

The sun’s rays are made up of 10% ultraviolet light, 40% visible light, and 50% near-infrared light (that is, light with a wavelength close to that of visible light).

These rays are almost all intercepted by the greenhouse gases . . . . . . which trap heat in the lower layers of the atmosphere.

When sunlight reaches the atmosphere, the greenhouse gases reflect 30% of those rays right back into space.

Once heated, Earth’s surface sends back radiation in the farinfrared wavelength _ light that is the farthest from the spectrum of visible light. Another 20% of solar radiation warms the atmosphere. The rest of the radiation, about 50%, directly heats the surface of the planet, both the oceans and the continents.

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