The Sun
(the kids’ section)
TQ Team C0112425 2001
The Sun
In this chapter we will talk about
The Role of the Sun
Effect on Weather
The snug Earth
Solar Power
Why do we have temperature
How do we measure air temperature?
The Sun’s Role
The Sun is the ultimate source of heat
energy of the earth.
All the Earth’s heat and light comes from
the Sun.
Life Support
The Sun keeps the temperature of most of
the Earth’s surface at 51 to 49 degrees
Celsius.
For most living things can only survive at 0
to 49 degrees Celsius.
If the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth
was cut by one tenth, the oceans would turn
to ice and like on Earth would die.
Effect on Weather
The Sun is the key to the world’s weather.
Its rays filter through the atmosphere and
warm the Earth’s surface which heats the air
above. This makes the air move because
warm air rises.
The movement of air causes winds which
lead to weather changes.
The Snug Earth
The Earth absorbs sunlight and then
releases it into the air again as heat.
The heat is trapped by water vapour and
clouds in the atmosphere and reflected back
to Earth.
The atmosphere acts like an enormous
blanket around the Earth, keeping the
warmth.
Solar Power
Solar panels are used to collect the Sun’s
heat.
Water in them absorbs the heat and is used
to warm homes. Electricity can also be
made from sunlight.
Why do we have air temperature?
Air temperature tells us how hot or how
cold the air is.
This greatly affects the weather.
It is important to us because we need to
wear different clothes for different
temperature.
How do we measure air temperature?
Thermometers are used to measure air
temperature.
They are placed in the shade, 1.5m off the
ground.
That is because in direct sunshine and on
the ground, temperature recorded maybe
much higher than that off the ground.
Air temperature is measured in degrees
Celsius (‘C) or degrees Fahrenheit (‘F)
Photos I
Solar Panels
Photos II
A Six’s thermometer
~ End ~
TQ Team C0112425 2001
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0112425