Final answer:
The chief constituents of electromagnetic energy that reach Earth's surface are visible light and near infrared radiation, which both penetrate the atmosphere effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two chief constituents of the electromagnetic energy that reaches Earth's surface are visible light and near infrared (higher energy infrared) radiation. These forms of energy are able to penetrate Earth's atmosphere effectively. Visible light, which includes wavelengths between roughly 400 and 700 nanometers (nm), is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that human eyes can perceive and is most effectively transmitted through the atmosphere. Near infrared, with a slightly longer wavelength than visible light, also reaches the Earth's surface in significant amounts, although some is absorbed by water vapor in the atmosphere. The other options presented, such as ultraviolet light, are largely absorbed by atmospheric constituents like ozone, while radio waves have varying degrees of transmission with low-frequency radio waves being blocked by Earth's ionosphere.