Test the hypothesis with the equipment. The polar ice sheets represent a large part of the Earth s surface. Students are now ready to do the activity. Refer to the student activity masters for their directions. The clouds, the Earth s surface, and the atmosphere all influence this balance.
Seasons also affect the amount of radiation that the Earth receives.
A radiation budget is one way of accounting for the solar energy entering and leaving the Earth system. This total energy can be absorbed or reflected. The reflected energy is accounted for in the measurement of albedo. The solar input measurement accounts for the energy absorbed. Photosynthetic rates reflect the radiation captured by producers and become available for living systems.