Greenhouse Effect Questions

1a) Three forms of radiation from the sun are infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation and visible light.
1b) Infrared radiation has the longer wavelengths while ultraviolet radiation has the shorter wavelenghts.
2a) Most of the sunlight that reaches Earth is scattered through the atmosphere. The sunlight is scattered by the gas molecules in the atmosphere.
2b) About 25% of the incoming sunlight is reflected back into space by clouds, dust and gases in the atmosphere.
2c) When the sunsets, the sky looks red because the sunlight has to pass through a thicker part of the atmoshpere. As the light is scattered through the atmosphere, more of the blue end of the spectrum is removed so the result is more reds and oranges. Scattering causes the differences in colors when the sun is at different points in the sky.
3a) The energy that is absorbed by the Earth is radiated back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation. This radiation can't travel all the way through the atmosphere, so it is absorbed by different gases in the atmosphere. As the radiated energy heats the gases, they form a "blanket" around the Earth holding heat to the ground.
3b) If the Earth didn't have the greenhouse effect, we would all be dead. As humans, we need the greenhouse effect to survive. It provides us with heat and allows many of the substance we need to survive to prosper. Although we need the effect to live, to much of it can hurt us. There is a great increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the increase is whats harmful, not the original greenhouse effect. Without the greenhouse effect, there would be barely any life on Earth.

Popping Popcorn with Convection Currents

Who knew that a tasty snack such as popcorn could be cooked with a form of heat transfer. Out of the three different types of heat transfer, popcorn cooked in a microwave is using convection currents, or the transfer of heat through a fluid. When the popcorn is placed in the microwave, the heat travels through the air in the form of convection currents. Within each kernel of popcorn is a small drop of water the turns to vapor when the convection currents heat the drop enough. When the pressure inside the kernel is too great, it has to find a way to escape. As it forces its way out of the kernel, the piece of popcorn pops. Through this process of heat transfer, you get to enjoy a tasty snack!

Imploding Cans

Air pressure dictates our existence on Earth. Simple changes to that pressure could cause so many different occurrences. One of the occurrences could be the implosion of a soda can. When a can is heated with a small amount of water in it, the water will come to a boil and change to water vapor. Once this happens, the air pressure in the can is increased because the molecules are moving at a much faster pace. Then when you quickly invert the can in ice water, the molecules in the can rapidly slow down causing the air pressure in the can to decrease. The pressure outside the can is greater than the pressure inside the can. Due to this imbalance in air pressure, the can will implode. Its amazing how something that we live with everyday can be so powerful to crush the alumni of a can.