As you learned from the lecture resources, the balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from Earth ultimately drives our climate. In this activity you will investigate Earth’s energy budget and the processes that balance the incoming solar radiation and the outgoing terrestrial radiation. To balance the absorbed incoming energy, Earth must, on average, emit the same amount of radiation to space. This is what is known as radiative equilibrium.Download the .xlsx version of the Earth’s Energy Balance Worksheet Download Earth’s Energy Balance Worksheetand open it in Excel.Using the diagram of Earth’s Energy Balance from the lecture slides (also given below), fill in the yellow boxes on the worksheet to calculate the units of energy gained and lost at Earth’s surface; in the atmosphere; and at the surface and atmosphere as a whole. Take note of the totals, then answer the questions in the text box. Explain your answers using the values from your completed worksheet. *You do NOT need to attach the worksheet here*In this energy balance system: what is the stock, and what are the inflows and outflows?Is the Earth system as a whole (Earth’s surface + the atmosphere; the red boxes on your worksheet) in radiative equilibrium? In your own words, what does this mean?Is the Earth’s surface in radiative equilibrium?Is the atmosphere in radiative equilibrium?How do you think these numbers relate to climate change?
