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Physics HL

SLHL

Chapter 8: The Greenhouse Effect

Model climate-relevant radiation physics from emissivity and albedo through planetary energy balance, then build the greenhouse mechanism with atmospheric absorption, reradiation, and feedback reasoning.

Estimated chapter time: 150 minutes

IB syllabus: B.2 · SL and HL

Chapter Topics

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  1. 1How to Read This Greenhouse Effect Chapter
    1. 1.1Climate Questions as Physics Questions
    2. 1.2Keep Flux Accounting Explicit
    3. 1.3How the Chapter Is Structured
  2. 28.1 Radiation from Real Bodies
    1. 2.1Emissivity and Albedo as Surface Properties
    2. 2.2Net Radiation and Radiative Equilibrium
    3. 2.3Spectral Intensity and What Emissivity Changes
  3. 38.2 Solar Constant and Planetary Energy Balance
    1. 3.1From Solar Luminosity to the Solar Constant
    2. 3.2Why Earth Receives S/4 on Average
    3. 3.3No-Atmosphere Equilibrium Temperature
  4. 48.3 Greenhouse Effect and Photon Absorption
    1. 4.1Infrared Selectivity of the Atmosphere
    2. 4.2One-Layer Greenhouse Model
    3. 4.3Photon Absorption and Re-Emission Mechanism
  5. 58.4 Enhanced Greenhouse Effect, Feedback, and Modeling Limits
    1. 5.1Natural Versus Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
    2. 5.2Feedback Loops and Albedo Change
    3. 5.3Why Climate Models Are Multi-Process Systems
  6. 6Chapter 8 Wrap-Up
    1. 6.1A Reliable Workflow for Greenhouse Problems

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