It's warmed from the surface. Shortwave radiation passes through the atmosphere, or at least about half of it, where it reaches the ground and is absorbed. The ground re-emits it at a longer wavelength, thereby warming the lower atmosphere.
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The lower atmosphere is directly warmed from solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface, which is then absorbed and re-emitted as heat. This process is known as the greenhouse effect and helps to regulate the Earth's temperature to support life.
The lower atmosphere, known as the troposphere, is warmed by heat from Earth's surface. This warming is due to the absorption of outgoing radiation by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, which trap heat in the atmosphere.
When air is warmed, it expands and becomes less dense, causing it to rise. As it rises, it creates lower pressure at the surface. This is because there are fewer air molecules pressing down on a given area as the warmed air moves away.
The troposphere is the layer of Earth's atmosphere where air is most likely warmed by conduction. This is the lowest layer of the atmosphere where weather events occur, and conduction is the main mechanism through which heat is transferred near the Earth's surface.
The surface of the Earth is more effectively warmed by radiation heat transfer than by conduction or convection. This is because radiation from the sun can penetrate the atmosphere and reach the Earth's surface, where it is absorbed and converted into heat. Conduction and convection play a role in redistributing this heat throughout the atmosphere.
No, typically the upper atmosphere is colder than the lower atmosphere. This is because the lower regions of the atmosphere are heated by the Earth's surface, while the upper atmosphere is heated by solar radiation. This temperature difference contributes to the formation of weather patterns and circulation in the atmosphere.