Electromagnetic Spectrum and Radiation Flashcard

Front

What is Mie scattering?

Back

Mie scattering is the scattering of light by particles that are comparable in size to the wavelength of the light. It is more likely to occur with larger particles compared to Rayleigh scattering.

Front

What is Rayleigh scattering?

Back

Rayleigh scattering is the scattering of light by particles much smaller than the wavelength of light, which causes shorter wavelengths (blue light) to scatter more than longer wavelengths (red light).

Front

What is a blackbody?

Back

A blackbody is an idealized physical object that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation, regardless of frequency or angle of incidence.

Front

What is the Stefan-Boltzmann law?

Back

The Stefan-Boltzmann law states that the total energy radiated per unit surface area of a blackbody is proportional to the fourth power of its absolute temperature.

Front

What does isotropic mean in the context of radiation?

Back

Isotropic means having the same properties in all directions, which is important in understanding how radiation is emitted and absorbed.

Front

What factors impact solar and terrestrial radiation passing through the atmosphere?

Back

Cloud cover, aerosols, and gases are the three main factors that affect the transmission of solar and terrestrial radiation through the atmosphere.

Front

What is the significance of Wien's Displacement Law?

Back

Wien's Displacement Law states that the wavelength at which the emission of a blackbody spectrum is maximized is inversely proportional to the temperature of the blackbody.

Front

How does temperature affect the emission of radiation from a blackbody?

Back

As the temperature of a blackbody increases, it emits more radiation and shifts the peak wavelength of emission to shorter wavelengths.

Front

What is the difference between solar radiation and terrestrial radiation?

Back

Solar radiation is the energy emitted by the sun, primarily in the form of visible light, while terrestrial radiation is the energy emitted by the Earth, primarily in the infrared spectrum.

Front

What role do aerosols play in the atmosphere?

Back

Aerosols can scatter and absorb sunlight, affecting climate and weather patterns by influencing the amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface.