Although the Earth itself acts like a blackbody, its atmosphere does not. Rather, each atmospheric gas absorbs and emits radiation selectively, meaning that it absorbs only certain wavelengths and emits only certain wavelengths. Why does the atmosphere exhibit this behavior?

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The Answer of Although the Earth itself acts like a blackbody, its atmosphere does not. Rather, each atmospheric gas absorbs and emits radiation selectively, meaning that it absorbs only certain wavelengths and emits only certain wavelengths. Why does the atmosphere exhibit this behavior?

Although the Earth Itself Acts Like a Blackbody, Its Atmosphere