The Earth’s atmosphere is a layer of gasses, mainly nitrogen and oxygen, that surrounds the planet. The gasses are held in place by the Earth’s gravitational force. Sunlight shines on the atmosphere, and some of the light is scattered by the molecules of the atmosphere. This scattered light is called sunlight scattering because it is similar to how sunlight scatters off dust particles in the air.
Light from the sun passes through the atmosphere and changes. Some of the particles in the atmosphere absorb light, some reflect light, and some scatter light. As light passes through the atmosphere, it changes as it interacts with the molecules in the atmosphere. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, it interacts with the gas molecules in the air, changing the spectrum of the light. The color of the light you see is the result of what gasses were in the atmosphere when the light passed through. If the light encounters oxygen and nitrogen, it changes the color, making it bluer, and that’s why blue skies are common during the summer. The atmosphere also reflects some of the light back to us, and that’s why we see the Sun, and the Moon, as bright objects.
The sun’s radiation in the form of electromagnetic waves has a range of wavelengths, depending on the frequency, which can be divided into three groups: X-rays, ultraviolet, visible light and infrared.
Visible light is the longest wavelength radiation.
Light waves are reflected by aerosols and other particles suspended in the atmosphere. Aerosols scatter and absorb the light energy and cause clouds to appear. Clouds reflect most of the incident sunlight, and some of the reflected light reaches the Earth. This phenomenon is known as the albedo effect.
Clouds reflect the sun’s energy, protecting the planet from overheating. The net effect of this process is cooling.
What happens to the light from the sun?
The light from the sun is a type of electromagnetic radiation. It travels in waves, and the distance between the waves is called the wavelength. The wavelength of sunlight is about 500 nanometers, which is very small. This means that the light waves are packed closely together.
What is the ozone layer?
The ozone layer is a region of the Earth’s atmosphere that contains high concentrations of ozone gas. The ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which can cause skin cancer and other health problems. The ozone layer is thinning due to the release of pollutants into the atmosphere, and this could lead to increased levels of ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface.
What are the effects of ozone depletion?
Ozone is a gas that is found in our atmosphere. It’s important because it protects us from the sun’s harmful rays. In fact, ozone shields our planet from about 99 percent of ultraviolet radiation.
So what happens if we don’t have enough ozone in the air?
The effect of the ozone layer on the sun’s rays is a common topic in discussions about environmental and scientific issues. One of the effects of the ozone hole is that the sun shines more often on Antarctica, and that has consequences for the animals living there.
Ozone depletion is caused by ozone-depleting chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and other products for more than 40 years.
There are several steps you can take to help prevent CFCs from harming the environment.
• Purchase environmentally friendly air conditioners and refrigerators.
• Support the Montreal Protocol, the treaty that banned the production of CFCs in developed countries.
• Turn off the air conditioning and heat in your home when possible.
• Recycle all CFCs and replace them with non-ozone depleting alternatives.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect is a process that occurs when Earth’s atmosphere traps energy from the sun. This trapped energy causes the Earth to warm, and this warming is known as the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is important because it helps keep Earth’s temperature warm enough to support life. Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth would be much colder, and it would be difficult for organisms to survive.
