Energy Transfer
You have learned that energy from the sun reaches the Earth by radiation. But, radiation is not the only way that energy, or heat, is transferred through the Earth system. Click on the images below to see examples of each type of heat transfer.
Energy from the sun, in the form of light travels to Earth as Radiation.
Heat is absorbed by dark colored buildings in urban areas and Conducted back into the atmosphere to create the Urban Heat Island Effect.
Warm air rises into the atmosphere and is replaced by cooler air creating Convection Cells, which drive wind currents around the globe.
Nice! Let’s continue to take a closer look at how each of these processes works to drive weather and climate.