A visualization to understand blackbody radiation, the effects of albedo and solar brightness on the temperature of a planet, and the greenhouse effect of the Earth’s atmosphere.
Students will experiment with a blackbody simulation to understand how the blackbody radiation model can be used to determine the surface temperature of a planet. Further, they will use another simulation to change the albedo (by changing the planet’s surface type) and the Sun’s brightness, and will observe the corresponding effects on the temperature of the planet.
Use this tool to help your students find answers to:
Use the blackbody radiation model to explain how the Earth’s temperature can be approximately determined.
For a given solar brightness, compare a planet’s temperature for a surface of desert sand versus a surface of grasslands. Explain the difference in temperatures observed.
About the Tool
Tool Name
Planetary Energy Balance
Discipline
Physics
Topic(s) in Discipline
Blackbody; Energy; Energy Balance; Albedo; Electromagnetic Radiation; Conservation of Energy
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