When a photon strikes a surface, it can be reflected, transmitted, or absorbed. On a cloudy day, nearly all the solar energy arriving at the surface is diffuse, whereas a clear day features a higher proportion of direct radiation.
Solar Energy Transfer Through the Atmosphere: How Sunlight Interacts and Transforms
Absorption occurs when the material’s atoms absorb the photon’s energy, causing molecules to vibrate more rapidly. Interaction with Earth's Atmosphere When solar radiation enters Earth’s atmosphere, it does not simply pass through unimpeded.
Some infrared radiation is captured by greenhouse gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide, a natural process that keeps the planet warm enough to support life. From this luminous surface, the photons are finally released into space, taking approximately eight minutes to traverse the 93 million miles to Earth.
Solar Energy Transfer Through the Atmosphere: How Sunlight Interacts and Transforms
Conversion of Light into Heat The most immediate and universal interaction of sunlight with the Earth is the conversion of photons into thermal energy, or heat. By the time the energy reaches the sun’s visible surface, or photosphere, it has transformed into visible light and infrared radiation.
More About How is energy from the sun transferred
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