Name : TAKUYA G.
OBAYASHI Score:
Course/Section : BSABE 4-4
Date : 09/24/22
Schedule (Day/Time) : FRIDAY 10am-1pm
Laboratory Exercise #2
Earth’s Energy Budget
INTRODUCTION
The balance between the solar energy that enters Earth and the energy that leaves Earth and
travels back into space is known as the Earth’s energy budget. The visible region of the
electromagnetic spectrum is where the majority of the sun’s energy is found. Clouds, air
molecules, tiny suspended particles called aerosols, and the Earth’s land, snow, and ice surfaces
all reflect about 30% of the sun’s incoming energy back to space. Additionally, the Earth’s system
radiates heat into space, primarily in the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The
temperature of a surface affects how much thermal emission is produced from it. The Earth’s
atmosphere system works tirelessly to keep a balance between the energy that comes from the sun
and the energy that leaves the planet.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
Refer to Figure 1 and perform the following.
1. List down the processes and the amount of incoming and outgoing energy at the Top of
the Atmosphere (the uppermost portion of Figure 1). Fill your answers in Table 1. Feel
free to add rows if necessary.
2. List down the processes and the amount of incoming and outgoing energy at the
Atmosphere itself (the clouds in Figure 1). Fill your answers in Table 2. Feel free to add
rows if necessary.
3. List down the processes and the amount of incoming and outgoing energy at the Earth’s
surface. Fill your answers in Table 3. Feel free to add rows if necessary.
Figure 1. Atmospheric Radiation: The Earth receives energy from the sun (on average 344 W/m2) and
emits the same amount to space ([Link]
4_radiation_2010.pdf).
RESULTS
Table 1. Radiation Balance at the Top of the Atmosphere.
`Processes Amount Total
Incoming Incoming solar radiation 100 100
Outgoing Outgoing Infrared 70
Reflected radiation from the 5
ground
Reflected radiation from the 25
clouds
ΔE (Incoming – Outgoing) ΔE(100-100) 0
Table 2. Radiation Balance at the Atmosphere itself
`Processes Amount Total
Incoming Convection Condensation 29 158
Absorb Radiation From the 25
sun
Infrared radiation from the 104
Earth’s surface
Outgoing Infrared radiation from the 88 158
atmosphere
Outgoing infrared 70
ΔE (Incoming – Outgoing) ΔE(158-158) 0 0
Table 3. Radiation Balance at the Earth’s Surface.
`Processes Amount Total
Incoming Infrared radiation from the 88 133
atmosphere
Absorbed solar 45
Outgoing Infrared radiation from the 104 133
Earth’s surface
Convection Condensation 29
ΔE (Incoming – Outgoing) ΔE(133-133) 0 0
Guide Questions:
1. What have you observed on the difference between incoming and outgoing energy at the
top of the Atmosphere? Did it achieve equilibrium, that is the incoming energy equals the
outgoing energy? If yes, why? If not, why?
The difference between the two is nothing. There both 0 that’s why it is an
equilibrium. This follows the law of conservation of energy. And theoretically, the
amount of energy enter in the system must be also the amount of energy that will be
out in the system.
2. What have you observed on the difference between incoming and outgoing energy at the
Atmosphere? Did it achieve equilibrium, that is the incoming energy equals the outgoing
energy? If yes, why? If not, why?
According to the table. Yes, it achieved the equilibrium phase. That’s why we are
experiencing stable temperature.
3. What have you observed on the difference between incoming and outgoing energy at the
Earth’s Surface? Did it achieve equilibrium, that is the incoming energy equals the
outgoing energy? If yes, why? If not, why?
The role of earth surfaces is to reflect the excess energy that enter the earth to
outer space. Yes, equilibrium has achieved.
4. If this difference between incoming and outgoing energy continues, what do you think
will be the effect of this in the future?
If there’s an equilibrium it means that earth’s temperature will be stable and that is
good.
References
[Link]
with-a-guy-who-knows