Earth's Energy Balance Quiz

Energy Imbalance and Feedback Mechanisms

• The main reason for Earth's energy imbalance is the excess of incoming solar radiation over outgoing long-wave radiation.

Cooling Feedback Mechanisms

• The feedback mechanism that generally causes cooling in the Earth's atmosphere is the ice-albedo feedback.

Water Content and Outgoing IR Radiation

• High water content in the atmosphere reduces outgoing IR radiation, leading to an increase in the greenhouse effect.

Feedback Mechanisms and Temperature

• The feedback mechanism associated with an increase in the greenhouse effect due to a rise in temperature is the water vapor feedback.

Cloud Feedback and Climate

• Cloud feedback is likely to have a positive effect on climate, amplifying the warming trend.

Global Mean Energy Budget Imbalance

• The main reason for the current global mean energy budget imbalance is the increasing levels of greenhouse gases, such as CO2, in the atmosphere.

Factors Contributing to Habitability

• One factor that is NOT contributing to the habitability of Earth is the absence of a strong magnetic field.

Convection in the Atmosphere

• The main function of convection in the atmosphere is to distribute heat from the equator to the poles.

Roles of Water and CO2

• Water and CO2 play a crucial role in the atmosphere, with water being a potent greenhouse gas and CO2 being a key contributor to the greenhouse effect.

Surface Temperature Response

• The expected response of Ts (surface temperature) to the existing energy imbalance is to continue to rise.

Negative Feedback Mechanisms

• The ice-albedo feedback is currently operating as a negative feedback mechanism, cooling the planet.

Clouds and Climate

• Clouds affect climate by influencing the Earth's energy balance, with low-level clouds generally cooling the planet and high-level clouds warming it.