Holt Earth Science Chapter 17, Section 17.3
Subject:
Earth-Sun Relationships The Sun is the source from almost all of the Earth?s weather and climate. Earth intercepts 12000000000 (one two-billionth) of all the energy given off by the sun (this is several hundred thousand times the energy generation of the US). Solar energy isn?t evenly distributed; the amount of energy varies with latitude, time of day, and season. Unequal heating of Earth creates winds and ocean currents, which transport heat to balance energy inequalities; the consequences of these processes are called weather. If the Sun died, global winds and currents would stop; but if the Sun shines, the winds will blow and weather will exist. Variations in solar heating are caused by the motions of the Earth relative to the Sun and variations in the Earth?s land-sea surface.
