Key Points: Solar Radiation and the Electromagnetic Spectrum

• Energy arrives on Earth from the Sun in the form of electromagnetic radiation.
• There are many types of EM radiation that differ in their wavelength, frequency and energy including gamma rays, infrared, ultraviolet, visible light, microwaves, and radio waves.
• Solar radiation is distributed unequally over the Earth due to intensity, angle, duration of sunlight and albedo. This unequal distribution is the main driving factor for climate.