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Earth gets no energy from the sun

Name: Anonymous 2006-07-12 12:26

It's a common misconception, but we don't.  Think about it.  If we were constantly getting net energy from the sun, three billion plus years of it would have more or less melted the surface of the planet.  All heat energy we get is released on the dark side of the earth as higher-entropy IR radiation.  The earth's distance from the sun (amongst other things) defines the equilibrium tempurature.  But it's the low-entropy yellow light that we get from the sun that makes life possible.  All forms of life take higher-entropy intake and put it into a lower entropy state.  The result, however, is that we have to simultaniously output MORE entropy than we reduce.  Ultimately, this is via the IR light that leaves us at night.

Name: Anonymous 2006-07-13 0:05

If a fair amount of Earth's energy dissapates into space where does the replacement energy come from?

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