Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere| Class 11 Geography Notes

The heating and Cooling of the Atmosphere on the Earth happens majorly through the process of Conduction and convection. Conduction takes place when two different bodies come in touch with each other and they transfer their energy from hot to cold. The process of convection is the process of transferring the heat through the heated fluids, like air or water.

This process runs until when both substances come to the same temperature. The heating process of the atmosphere happens when the earth’s atmosphere absorbs energy from the sun. Cooling of the Atmosphere happens when the air moves upwards and expands after it cools down.

In this article, we are going to discuss the Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere in detail.

Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere| Class 11 Geography Notes

Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere

There are various heating and cooling of the atmosphere. The heating process of the atmosphere of the Earth happens when the Earth’s atmosphere absorbs energy from the sun and the cooling of the atmosphere happens when the air moves upwards and expands after it cools down. Here are the major processes of the Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere as mentioned below.

Conduction Process

Conduction is a process where two bodies with different temperatures come in contact with each other.

• In this process, the temperature flows to the cooler body from the warm bodies.
• The heat transfer continues until both body’s temperatures become equal.
• This is a significant method of heating in the low layers of the Earth’s atmosphere.

Convection

Convection is a process where heat transfer happens through the movement of liquid or gas.

• The process of vertical heating is also known as the Convection Process.
• In this process, the air comes into contact with the earth’s surface.
• The air expands vertically in the process of heating in the form of currents.
• After the expansion, it tries to transfer the heat to the surroundings or in the atmosphere.
• The energy of the convective transfer is limited and this process can happen in the troposphere only.

Advection

Advection is a process of heat transfer where the heat transfers to the atmosphere through a horizontal movement of air. This process includes so many factors like heat, humidity, or salinity.

• The horizontal movement of air and this process of heat transfer is more significant than the vertical movement and heat transfer.
• In the middle latitudes, so much diurnal variation happens due to this process.

Terrestrial Radiation – Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere

Terrestrial Radiation is a process that has a long-lasting impact on the Heating and Cooling of the Atmosphere. Terrestrial Radiation is a process of heat transfer that uses long-wave electromagnetic radiation originating from the Earth’s atmosphere. The different atmospheric gases absorb these radiations and indirectly heat the atmosphere.

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Heating and Cooling of Atmosphere- FAQs

How is Earth’s atmosphere heated and cooled?

Air in the atmosphere acts as a fluid. The Sun’s radiation strikes the Earth’s surface, thus warming it. As the surface’s temperature rises due to conduction, heat energy is released into the atmosphere, forming a bubble of air that is warmer than the surrounding air. This bubble of air rises into the atmosphere.

What is the heating of the atmosphere?

Vertical heating of the atmosphere is known as convection. The air in contact with the earth upsurges vertically on heating in the form of currents and transfers the heat of the atmosphere. Advection: The transfer of heat through the horizontal movement of air is called advection.

What is heating and cooling in a short note?

In heating mode, the system absorbs heat from the outside air and distributes it around the room. In cooling mode, it absorbs heat from indoor air and releases it outside.

How is Earth’s atmosphere cooled?

The top of the atmosphere is cold because greenhouse gases convert atmospheric heat into IR radiation, half of which is emitted towards the cold of outer space. Thus the top of the atmosphere acts as a heat sink.

What cools the earth’s atmosphere?

Since carbon dioxide also efficiently emits heat, any heat captured by carbon dioxide sooner escapes to space than it finds another molecule to absorb it. As a result, an increase in greenhouses gases like carbon dioxide means more heat is lost to space — and the upper atmosphere cools.

What does heating and cooling of the atmosphere generates?

Heating and cooling of the atmosphere generates convection currents. Heating is caused by the absorption of solar energy on the earth surface.

What are the process of heating the atmosphere?

The atmosphere of the earth is heated by the process of convection. In cases of liquids and gases, the transfer of heat takes place through convection. It is a process by which heat travels through water, gas, air, or other liquids.