Question

The Earth emits/releases a lot more outgoing radiation than it receives during the day from the Sun. What keeps the average world temperature steady?

A. Some of The earth is always facing the sun
B. It takes a long time for the energy to pass through the atmosphere
C. The greenhouse gases trap the energy released by the earth surface
D. None of the above

Answer 1

The consistent global temperatures are maintained by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that absorb and re-radiate the Earth's infrared radiation, preventing too much heat from escaping into space.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Earth emits a lot more outgoing radiation than it receives from the Sun during the day. What keeps the average world temperature steady is the greenhouse effect, which is essential for maintaining the Earth's energy balance. The correct answer to the student's question is C. The greenhouse gases trap the energy released by the earth surface. This process involves infrared radiation being absorbed and re-radiated by gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water vapor (H₂O) in the atmosphere. This not only prevents too much heat from escaping into space but also maintains the surface temperature of the Earth about 40°C higher than it would be with no atmosphere.