Final answer:
The Earth's atmosphere can absorb specific wavelengths of light and scatter light, affecting the spectral response patterns. Water vapor is a major contributor to absorption in the infrared. The atmosphere also filters out starlight in certain wavelengths.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Earth's atmosphere has various effects on the spectral response patterns. One major effect is the absorption of specific wavelengths of light by molecules in the atmosphere, resulting in downward spikes in the spectral response graph. For example, compounds like water vapor, oxygen/ozone, and methane can absorb certain wavelengths. Another effect is the scattering of light, which contributes to the color of the sky and can affect the quality of images obtained through telescopes. Additionally, the atmosphere can filter out starlight, especially in the infrared, due to absorption by water vapor.