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| Short Wave Radiation- The Radiation which Comes directly from the Sun, High level clouds have the ability to reflect small amounts of this, and low level clouds can reflect more, but not a great amount. This radiation will reach the ground where some of it will be reflected. But a lot of this is absorbed and then re-radiated outwards again from the Earth's surface in the form of Long Wave Radiation | |||||||||
| Long Wave Radiation- This is the radiation which heats the earth. Although a lot of people beleive direct energy from the sun heats us it is actually the earth acting a lot like a giant radiator. The Long Wave radiation is The short wave radiation which basically 'seeps' back out from the earth heating the air around. Now clouds can play a big role in how warm the local conditions can get. Low level clouds can stop a lot of the Long Wave Radiation from escaping back into space. so in a way this will act as a type of greenhouse. High level clouds will also block some of the Long Wave Radiation Which rises from the Earth's surface. | |||||||||
| Hopefully the diagram above will highlight the basic process of Short Wave and Long wave Radiation entering and leaving the earth aswell as how clouds effect this. | |||||||||
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