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Geography

How is 'heat balance' achieved?

Insolation

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Answer

The atmosphere absorbs 34 units of the Earth's radiation, but it absorbs only 14 units of the Sun's incoming radiation. Thus, the atmosphere is heated more by terrestrial radiation given out by the Earth than by the incoming insolation from the Sun.

At night, the atmosphere acts as a greenhouse and keeps the Earth's surface warm by preventing the terrestrial radiation from escaping into space. During the day, the atmosphere absorbs 14% of insolation and thus regulates temperature on Earth.

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