Chapter 1

299,792,458 meters per second

-he distance between successive peaks or nodes of a wave

-Intensely related to frequency

-The number of waves passing a fixed point in one second

-Intensely relaed to wavelength

Every object with a temperature above -273.12C (-459F) emits electromagnetic waves.

The amount of energy emitted by an object is proportional on the object's temperature (Stefan Boltzman Law)

6,000 degrees C (11,000 degrees F)

15 degrees C (59 degrees F)

Concentrated insolation due to the earth's curvature

The point on the earth at which the sun is directly overhead

-Reduced radiational beam spreading -the energy is concentrated on a smaller area

-A shorter pathway of the sun's rays through the atmosphere which causes less radiation attenuation of the rays on their way through the atmosphere

-Revolution of the earth around the sun

-Rotation of the earth around its own axis

-Tilt of the earth's axis

-Axial parallism

the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 N latititude)

-The sun doesn not sink below the horizon (24 hrs of night)

-All locations north of 66.5 degrees N

-The sun does not rise above the horizon (24 hrs of night)

-All locations south of 66.5 degrees S

-The event or day when the sun is directly above the equator

-Aequus (equal) and nox (night)

-Refers to the fact that all locations on the planet experience nights which are 12 hours long on this day.

-Twice a year

-Around March 20 and September 23

-Angle between the rays of the sun and the plane of the earth's equator or the distance between the subsolar point from the equator degree.

-Approximately 23.5 degrees during summer solsice, -23.5 degrees during winter solstice, and 0 degrees during the equinoxes