Key Points: Planetary Temperature
- The Sun is the source of heat for the Earth and other planets in our solar system.
- There are several factors that determine the temperature of a planet, including distance from the Sun, geologic activity, rate of rotation, and geologic and atmospheric composition.
- Changing any of the factors above, can change the equilibrium temperature of a planet.
- All objects emit and absorb electromagnetic radiation. Objects are in equilibrium when they are emitting and absorbing radiation at the same rate. The radiation emitted by an object is a function of its temperature.
