Earth's Revolution and Rotation

Earth-Sun Relations Solar radiation is one of many sources of energy, and probably one of the most important sources, that drive environmental processes acting at the surface of the Earth. The amount and intensity of solar radiation reaching the Earth is affected by the geometric relationship of the Earth with respect to the Sun. The Solar Constant Though the temperature of the air near the ground is primarily determined by the heat released by Earth's surface, the principal source for heating the Earth is solar radiation. The Earth is "constantly" bathed in solar radiation propagated through space ultimately reaching the surface of the earth. On average, the Earth receives 1368 W/m2 (1.96 ly/min) of solar radiation at the outer edge of the atmosphere, called the "solar constant". However, the actual amount received at the edge of the atmosphere or the Earth's surface varies from place to place and day to day on account of the orientation of the Earth to the Sun.

Earth Revolution and Rotation Earth, the third planet of our solar system revolves around the Sun once every 365 1/4 days. The elliptical orbit of the earth varies from 91.5 million miles on January 3 called "perihelion", to 94.5 million miles on July 4 called "aphelion" for an average earth-sun distance of 93 million miles. The elliptical path causes only small variations in the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth.

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