Which of the following is true relative to the Earth-atmosphere radiation system?
A)Averaged over a year,Earth's surface has an energy surplus.
B)Averaged over a year,Earth's surface has an energy deficit.
C)Averaged over a year,Earth's atmosphere has an energy budget.
D)Averaged over a year,Earth's atmosphere has an energy gain.
E)The Earth's energy is never in balance because surface deficits are greater than atmosphere surpluses.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Averaged over a year, Earth's surface has an energy surplus because it receives more energy from the sun than it radiates back to space. However, the atmosphere also plays a role in the Earth's radiation budget, absorbing some of the outgoing longwave radiation emitted by the surface and re-radiating some of it back to the surface. Overall, the Earth-atmosphere system must maintain a balance of incoming and outgoing radiation in order to maintain a stable climate.

Which of the Following Is True Relative to the Earth-Atmosphere