Real World: Earth’s Energy Balance – Energy In and Energy Out
Balancing Earth's incoming and outgoing energy is like balancing an equation. When both are equal, Earth's energy is in balance. Learn more about how changes in this balance may impact Earth.
Discussion and writing prompts
1. Earth's climate depends on a balance between the energy it receives from the Sun and the energy it sends back into space. Why is it important to think of Earth's energy balance as an interconnected system rather than a collection of separate parts? Explain how changes in one part of the Earth system (such as clouds, ice, forests, or the atmosphere) could affect other parts of the system.
2. The video explains that even small changes in Earth's land, oceans, or atmosphere can have significant impacts on the planet's energy balance. Why can small changes sometimes lead to much larger environmental effects over time? Choose one example from the video (such as changing cloud cover, melting ice, or changes in land surfaces) and describe how it could create a chain of events that affects Earth's climate.
3. NASA scientists use satellites and other tools to monitor Earth's energy balance over time. Why is it important to collect long-term data before making decisions about Earth's changing climate?
Background Information
Grades 3 through 12
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Physical Scientist – Jessica Taylor (video)
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Project Scientist – Marile Colon Robles (video)
Grades 4 through 12
- NASA Climate Kids Weather and Climate (webpage)
Grades 6 through 12
- NASA eClips Real World: Small Changes, Big Impact (video)
- V.A.L.U.E. Bundle: Earth’s Energy Balance (webpage)
- NASA CERES: Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (webpage)
- NASA Earth's Energy Budget Lithograph (pdf)
- NASA NEO: NASA Earth Observations (webpage)
- NASA What is Earth's Energy Budget? Five Questions with a Guy Who Knows (webpage)
- NASA Earth Observatory Climate and Earth's Energy Budget (webpage)
- UCAR The Energy Budget (webpage)
- UCAR Earth's Albedo and the Sun's Brightness Affect Climate (webpage)
Activities
Grades K through 12
- NASA’s Real World: What Causes Global Climate Change? (pdf)
- NASA LaRC About Energy Budget (webpage)
- UCAR Earth's Albedo and the Sun's Brightness Affect Climate (interactive)
- GLOBE Clouds and Energy Budget One Week Pacing Guide (pdf)
- My NASA Data Earth's Energy Budget (webpage)
- My NASA Data Explore Earth’s Energy Budget Diagram (webpage)
- My NASA Data Earth’s Energy Budget Lesson Plans (webpage)
- My NASA Data Earth’s Energy Budget Mini Lessons (webpage)
Grades 6 through 8
- NASA Global Energy Budget (webpage)