Earths Energy Budget

Energy from the Sun and Earth

MODULE 3.1

Energy from the Sun and Earth

Lesson Goal:
Contrast the amount and type of energy emitted by objects
at different temperatures, in particular, the Sun versus Earth.

Taking the Suns temperature

What can we actually measure?

T?

Reading Review
THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

MODIFIED FROM HTTP://MYNASADATA.LARC.NASA.GOV/IMAGES/EM_SPECTRUM3-NEW.JPG

Gamma Ray

X-Ray

Ultraviolet

Visible

Infrared

Microwave

Radio

Which of these stoves is the hottest?

Which of these stoves is emitting radiation with

the LONGEST peak wavelength?

They are all

emitting at
the same peak
wavelength

Which of these stars is the hottest?

IMAGE CREDITS: NASA

Where are the peak wavelengths for the different stars?

THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM

MODIFIED FROM HTTP://MYNASADATA.LARC.NASA.GOV/IMAGES/EM_SPECTRUM3-NEW.JPG

Gamma Ray

X-Ray

Ultraviolet

Visible

Infrared

Microwave

Radio

)&%

Radiation Intensity

Emission Spectra for Sun and Earth

SUN
EARTH

)$%

0.1

Wavelength,

IMAGES: NASA

UV

VIS

10

(microns)

100

Infrared

~0.5 m Wien s law Tsun =

5800 K

Earth emits radiation with a peak wavelength of about

11.4 microns (m).
Using Wiens Law, whats Earths temperature?

=
2897
/
T
m

IMAGE: NASA

CHOOSE THE CLOSEST ANSWER.

A. ! 3.9 Kelvin
B. !15 Kelvin
C. !255 Kelvin
D. !273 Kelvin
E. 305 Kelvin

Stefan-Boltzmanns law (very useful!)

F is the energy emitted, per unit time, per unit area,

expressed in W/m [J/s*m ]
2

is a constant [5.67*10 W/m K ]

-8

IMAGES: NASA

T is the absolute temperature (K)

64 million W/m

240 W/m2

Key Points
The Sun gives off shortwave radiation with a peak wavelength in the visible
part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The Earth gives off long wave radiation with a peak wavelength in the infrared
part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The general relationships are that
HOTTER objects emit MORE radiation than cooler objects, and
HOTTER objects emit radiation at SHORTER wavelengths than cooler objects

COMING UP: These differences between radiation from the Sun and radiation
from Earth are crucial to understanding the greenhouse effect.