Does all the sunlight energy that reaches Earth stay here?
No. When sunlight falls on Earth a certain amount of it is reflected back into space. Of the sunlight falling on bare ground, 10-20 percent is reflected; a green forest reflects 3-10 percent; and fresh snow reflects 80-90 percent (this is why it remains so cold at the poles even though the sun shines for long periods). Perhaps 30 percent of all the sunlight reaching Earth from the Sun is reflected back into space by clouds, snow, land and water surfaces. 17. Is warming the only factor that causes air masses to move? No. Air masses are affected by the spinning of the Earth on its axis as it orbits the Sun. The spinning of Earth causes air masses to rotate. In the southern hemisphere the air masses rotate clockwise; in the northern hemisphere they rotate counterclockwise. This phenomenon can be seen in weather satellite photographs. When the rotation becomes a tight, rapidly spinning whorl the air mass is called a cyclone. Cyclones are our biggest storms. 18. Is the climate of Earth stil
