Solar radiation provides most of the energy that drives environmental processes on Earth. It warms the atmosphere and surface through various absorption, scattering, and reflection interactions as it passes through the atmosphere. Variations in solar insolation at different latitudes and across seasons are caused by changes in the orientation of the Earth relative to the sun throughout the year.

1. Heating the Earth Annual solar energy falling on United States contains 2000X more energy than annual coal production.

4. Radiation from the Sun and Earth

9. Albedo

12. Average distribution of incoming solar radiation

15. Radiation from the Sun and Earth

19. The Greenhouse Effect

29. Daily and Seasonal Changes in Insolation

34. Earth Revolution and Rotation

36. Axial Tilt

38. The Reason for the Seasons

41. Daily and Seasonal Changes in Insolation