Summer "grilling" experience: Uncovering the "secrets" of the sun, the "master of the universe grilling"

In the hot summer, the sun is blazing in the sky, and the ground is scorching hot, as if it were in an oven. The originator of this "grilling" experience is the sun, the omnipresent "grilling master" in the universe. Today, we will reveal the "grilling secrets" of the sun, and see what it "radiates" and how it makes the earth "warm up".

The Sun: A Burning Fireball

The sun, a huge burning "fireball", is the center of the solar system. It is composed of hot plasma, with an internal temperature of up to 15 million degrees Celsius and a surface temperature of 5500 degrees Celsius. Like a huge furnace, the sun continuously releases energy outward, most of which is transmitted in the form of electromagnetic waves, which is what we call solar radiation.

Solar radiation: "Energy express" from "fireball"

Solar radiation, as the name implies, is the energy released by the sun. This energy is not ordinary "heat", but is composed of electromagnetic waves of various wavelengths, including visible light, infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays, gamma rays, etc. Among them, visible light accounts for 43% of the total radiation energy, infrared accounts for 48%, and ultraviolet accounts for 9%.

These "energy couriers" start from the distant sun, travel through the vast universe, and finally reach the earth. Along the way, they overcome many obstacles and eventually bring energy to the surface of the earth, providing light and heat for life on earth.

Solar radiation "bakes" the Earth: multiple factors work together

The reasons why solar radiation causes the temperature to rise are mainly the following:

Solar radiation directly heats the earth's surface: visible light and infrared rays in solar radiation can be directly absorbed by the earth's surface and converted into heat, causing the surface temperature to rise.

Atmospheric absorption and scattering of solar radiation: When solar radiation reaches the Earth's atmosphere, part of it is absorbed by the gases and water vapor in the atmosphere and converted into heat, causing the atmospheric temperature to rise. The other part is scattered by the atmosphere, changing direction and irradiating different places on the Earth's surface, also causing the surface temperature to rise.

Greenhouse effect: Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, absorb long-wave infrared rays, preventing them from dissipating into space, causing the atmospheric temperature to further rise.

Solar radiation is not constant: it is affected by many factors

Solar radiation is not constant. It is affected by many factors, such as the distance between the sun and the earth, solar activity, atmospheric conditions, etc.

Distance between the Sun and the Earth: The Earth's orbit around the Sun is elliptical, so the distance between the Sun and the Earth changes. The closer the distance, the stronger the solar radiation and the higher the temperature; the farther the distance, the weaker the solar radiation and the lower the temperature.

Solar activity: Solar activity refers to various activities occurring on the surface of the sun, such as sunspots, solar flares, etc. The stronger the solar activity, the stronger the solar radiation and the higher the temperature; the weaker the solar activity, the weaker the solar radiation and the lower the temperature.

Atmospheric conditions: Clouds, water vapor and other substances in the atmosphere absorb and scatter solar radiation, resulting in a decrease in solar radiation received by the ground and a drop in temperature.

Tips: In the hot summer, pay attention to sun protection and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.

We should protect the environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impact of global warming.

Source: Chongqing Radio Science Popularization Experience Center

Audit expert: Zhang Qiyi

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