Lesson 1
Key Idea 2: Earth's Unique Climate
Several important factors make our planet's climate unique and hospitable for life. These include:
- Earth's proximity to the sun and elliptical orbit, which affect the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth.
- The angle of Earth's axis, which leads to climatic differences at different latitudes.
- Earth's albedo, which affects the amount of solar energy that gets absorbed by Earth's surface.
- The number and type of molecules in Earth's atmosphere, which interact with electromagnetic radiation.
- Earth's ocean and atmospheric currents, which transfer huge amounts of energy around the globe and influence weather patterns.
- The biosphere, which contributes to atmospheric gas concentrations and affects Earth's albedo.