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Comments
1. Spectrum A contains more shorter wavelengths than longer
wavelengths. This mixture will produce a "cool" white color.
3. Think of a black car (low reflectivity) and a white car
(higher reflectivity) sitting in the sun. The black car will
absorb more sunlight than the white car. To be in energy balance
it must emit more energy than the white car. To be able to emit
more energy it will need to be warmer than the white car.
4. The fall equinox was about 3 weeks ago. We are on
our way toward the winter solstice.
5. The atmosphere is absorbing 3 units of energy and must
therefore emit 3 units. The ground is absorbing one unit of
sunlight and emitting 3 units of IR radiation. It therefore needs
2 out of the 3 arrows that the atmosphere is emitting to be in
balance. The remaining 1 of 3 units emitted by the atmosphere
goes upward into space. Note at the top of the figure that 2
units of sunlight arrive at the top of the atmosphere and 2 units of IR
radiation leave the atmosphere headed for out space.
6. If you look at just what is happening at the ground, you
will notice that both figures are absorbing 2 units of sunlight and 1
unit of radiation from the atmosphere. The ground is emitting 3
units of energy in both figures. The situation at the ground is
the same in both figures. The ground temperature in both figures
must be the same.