10.14: Heat Budget of Planet Earth

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 5491

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

How does heat on Earth resemble a household budget?

The thermal energy left on Earth is thermal energy in minus thermal energy out. If more energy comes into the system than goes out of the system, the planet warms. If less energy goes into the system than goes out of the system, the planet cools. Replace the word "money" for "thermal energy" and "on Earth" to "in your bank account" and you describe a household budget. Of course, Earth's heat budget is a lot more complex than a simple household budget.

Heat at Earth’s Surface

About half of the solar radiation that strikes the top of the atmosphere is filtered out before it reaches the ground. This energy can be absorbed by atmospheric gases, reflected by clouds, or scattered. Scattering occurs when a light wave strikes a particle and bounces off in some other direction.

About 3% of the energy that strikes the ground is reflected back into the atmosphere. The rest is absorbed by rocks, soil, and water and then radiated back into the air as heat. These infrared wavelengths can be seen only by infrared sensors.

The Heat Budget

Because solar energy continually enters Earth’s atmosphere and ground surface, is the planet getting hotter? The answer is no (although the next section contains an exception), because energy from Earth escapes into space through the top of the atmosphere. If the amount that exits is equal to the amount that comes in, then average global temperature stays the same. This means that the planet’s heat budget is in balance. What happens if more energy comes in than goes out? If more energy goes out than comes in?

To say that the Earth’s heat budget is balanced ignores an important point. The amount of incoming solar energy is different at different latitudes. Where do you think the most solar energy ends up and why? Where does the least solar energy end up and why? See the Table below.

The Amount of Incoming Solar Energy
	Day Length	Sun Angle	Solar Radiation	Albedo
Equatorial Region	Nearly the same all year	High	High	Low
Polar Regions	Night 6 months	Low	Low	High

Note: Colder temperatures mean more ice and snow cover the ground, making albedo relatively high.

The difference in solar energy received at different latitudes drives atmospheric circulation.

Summary

Incoming solar radiation is absorbed by atmospheric gases, reflected by clouds, or scattered.
Much of the radiation that strikes the ground is radiated back into the atmosphere as heat.
More solar radiation strikes the Equator than the poles.

Review

If the Sun suddenly started to emit more energy, what would happen to Earth's heat budget and the planet's temperature?
If more greenhouse gases were added to the atmosphere, what would happen to Earth's heat budget and the planet's temperature?
What happens to sunlight that strikes the ground?

Explore More

Use this resource to answer the questions that follow.

What does CERES measure?
What does the acronym CERES stand for?
What is the ideal radiation budget? Why?
How much of the Sun's radiation is reflected or absorbed by clouds.
What type of surfaces absorb the most energy?
Which regions are reflective?
What are scientists finding with CERES?
Why is the Earth warming?
What is a carbon footprint?
What happens to albedo when the ice caps melt?