User:Atcovi/Energy in the Atmosphere

Radiation
The Earth receives energy by the sun from this type of heating, radiation, where energy is transferred as electromagnetic waves. Although we get only 2 billionths of the energy from the sun, it still keeps us up and living.

Conduction
Thermal conduction is the transfer of energy through materials. In the Earth, air molecules come into direct contact with the warm surface of the Earth.

Convection
'''Convection is the transfer of thermal energy by the circulation or movement of a liquid/gas. Most of thermal energy in the atmosphere is transferred by convection.

Air is heated-- as a result, it becomes less dense and rises. Cool air is denser, so it does the opposite and sinks. As this cool air sinks, it pushes the warm air up. The cool air is eventually heated by the Earth's surface (which absorbs half of the sun rays) and begins to rise again. This circulated, or convection current, is the top transportation for thermal energy.

-->SEE: User:Atcovi/Science