What went wrong when the king rode under the arch?

It was too low and knocked off his crown

How does the chain of blame unfold in the poem?

Each accused person blames another, ending with the king's own changes

The incoming short-wave solar radiation received by the earth, averaging 1.94 cal/sq cm/min at the top of the atmosphere.

What are aphelion and perihelion?

Aphelion is the earth's farthest position from the sun (4 July) and perihelion its nearest (3 January).

What is the albedo of the earth?

The roughly 35 units (of 100) of insolation reflected back to space.

Explain the heat budget of the earth.

Of 100 units received, 35 are reflected and 65 absorbed, all of which is eventually returned, so the earth neither warms up nor cools down.

Where is there a surplus and a deficit of net radiation?

A surplus between 40°N and 40°S and a deficit near the poles, with surplus heat redistributed pole-ward.

List the factors controlling temperature distribution.

Latitude, altitude, distance from the sea, air masses and ocean currents.

What is an inversion of temperature?

A reversal of the normal lapse rate, when temperature increases (instead of decreasing) with height, common on clear, calm winter nights.

Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature

Q: Name the factors that cause variations in insolation.

Rotation of the earth, the angle of the sun's rays, the length of day, atmospheric transparency and configuration of land.

Q: Name the processes that heat the atmosphere.

Conduction, convection, advection and terrestrial radiation.

Q: What is the normal lapse rate?

The decrease of temperature with height, about 6.5°C per 1,000 metres.

Class 11 Geography · Fundamentals of Physical Geography · Chapter 8

163 members in the CBSE community

View all

CBSE Class 11 · Geography

Earth's interior + plates: Unit II, 9 marks

Marks booster + cheatsheet: key concepts in 2 lines each, common traps
8 marks: Climate unit, Ch 7–10
5 marks: map work, covered
4 marks: ocean data as charts, Unit V
Heat budget and five air layers as charts
Common traps, corrected

Page 1 free about 8 min read, Full kit about 55 min read

₹159See the full kit

CBSE Class 11 · Geography

Physiography + Drainage: Unit II, 13 marks

Marks booster + cheatsheet: key concepts in 2 lines each, common traps
12 marks: Climate, Vegetation (Unit III)
Full CBSE map-work list, chapter by chapter
Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra river systems
Monsoon mechanism, onset and four seasons
Common traps, corrected

Page 1 free about 8 min read, Full kit about 55 min read

₹159See the full kit

CBSE Class 11 · Geography

Projections, Remote Sensing: 5 marks each

Marks booster + cheatsheet: key concepts in 2 lines each
4 marks: Map Scale, conversions worked
4 marks: Latitude, Longitude and Time
4 marks: Topographical Maps, contours
5 marks: practical file and viva
Conical and Mercator's construction steps

Page 1 free about 8 min read, Full kit about 55 min read

₹159See the full kit

View all 44 amazing Marks Booster kits →

Summary

The earth receives almost all its energy from the sun as short-wave incoming solar radiation, called insolation; on average the top of the atmosphere receives 1.94 calories per sq cm per minute. Because the earth is a geoid, the sun's rays fall obliquely and only a small portion is intercepted. The earth is farthest from the sun (aphelion) on 4 July and nearest (perihelion) on 3 January. Insolation varies with the rotation of the earth, the angle of the sun's rays, the length of day, atmospheric transparency and configuration of land. The atmosphere is heated by conduction, convection, advection and terrestrial radiation. The heat budget keeps the earth's temperature constant: of 100 units of insolation, 35 are reflected (the albedo), 65 are absorbed and ultimately returned, balancing the total received. There is a surplus of net radiation between 40°N and 40°S and a deficit near the poles, redistributed pole-ward. Temperature is controlled by latitude, altitude (normal lapse rate of 6.5°C per 1,000 m), distance from the sea, air masses and ocean currents. Temperature distribution is shown by isotherms, and at times the normal lapse rate is reversed in an inversion of temperature.

Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature

Key terms

Insolation

incoming solar radiation received by the earth in short wavelengths.

Aphelion and perihelion

the earth's farthest (4 July) and nearest (3 January) positions from the sun.

Albedo

the percentage of insolation reflected back to space (about 35 units of 100).

Heat budget

the balance by which incoming insolation equals outgoing terrestrial radiation, keeping temperature constant.

Normal lapse rate

the decrease of temperature with height, about 6.5°C per 1,000 m.

Isotherm

a line joining places of equal temperature on a map.

Extra questions & answers

Try one from this chapter

The incoming short-wave solar radiation received by the earth is called:

Flashcards & interactive practice

Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature

163 members in the CBSE community

Summary

Key terms

Extra questions & answers

Practice quiz · Solar Radiation, Heat Balance and Temperature

Data & insights