Which wavelength range is primarily responsible for heating the Earth's surface and contributing to the greenhouse effect?
Infrared radiation
The Earth's surface absorbs sunlight and gives off energy as infrared (heat) radiation.
Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and water vapour trap this infrared radiation, which keeps the surface warm.
This trapping of infrared radiation is the greenhouse effect.
Hence, the answer is infrared radiation.
Similar Questions
A student is asked why solar panels are less efficient during early morning hours. Which electromagnetic property explains this observation?
A scientist is investigating why certain EM waves from the Sun do not reach the Earth's surface. Which property of gamma rays primarily explains their absence at ground level?
A water purification system uses electromagnetic energy to kill bacteria. Which region of the spectrum is being utilised for this function?
Important Questions from Electromagnetic Waves
The radio waves used for signaling and communication can be classified as which of the following?
- An electromagnetic wave propagates through a transparent, non-magnetic medium. If the relative permittivity of this medium is $\epsilon_r = 4$, and its relative permeability is $\mu_r = 1$, what is the speed of the electromagnetic wave in this medium? (Assume the speed of light in vacuum is $c = 3 \times 10^8$ m/s).
X-rays are produced when a target of suitable material element of high atomic mass is bombarded by a beam of fast moving and high energy particles such as:
Which of the following rays are used in doing LASIK (Laser - Assisted in Situ keratomileusis) eye surgery?
Arrange the following in the ascending order of their wavelength.
(i) Microwaves
(ii) Infrared rays
(iii) Visible rays
(iv) AM radio waves
(v) Gamma rays
(vi) X-rays
(vii) FM radio waves
