Solar energy absorption varies across Earth's surfaces, causing uneven heating. This is a primary driver of weather patterns and can lead to climate change.
The uneven heating of the Earth caused by varying solar energy absorption leads to weather patterns and climate change.
The Earth's surface, its oceans, and atmosphere absorb solar energy at different rates. This uneven heating results in temperature differentials, which generate winds, ocean currents, and create weather systems. Factors that influence this include variations in the sun's energy, Earth's rotation, tilt, orbit changes, and the different reflectivity of surfaces. The atmosphere helps redistribute heat, maintaining relative equilibrium. However, disruptions in this balance, like changes in greenhouse gas concentrations or albedo, can cause climate change.
Uneven heating due to differential energy absorption and reflectivity across the planet's surface and atmosphere are fundamental causes of weather systems and contribute to larger-scale climate variations.