Question

question 5 (multiple choice worth 3 points) (03.01 lc) how does the suns energy help maintain earths energy budget? a part of it is trapped by carbon dioxide and methane a part of it heats up earths land and water equally all of it is turned back towards space all of it is trapped by the clouds

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane trap part of the sun's energy (heat), which helps maintain Earth's energy balance by preventing all heat from escaping to space. This aligns with the greenhouse effect and Earth's energy budget.
• Option B: Land and water do not heat up equally; water has a higher specific heat capacity, so it heats up and cools down more slowly than land. Thus, this option is incorrect.
• Option C: Not all of the sun's energy is reflected back to space; a significant portion is absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, land, and water. So this is incorrect.
• Option D: Clouds do not trap all of the sun's energy; some energy passes through clouds, and clouds also reflect some energy. So this is incorrect.

Answer:

A. A part of it is trapped by carbon dioxide and methane