Environmental Studies · Physics

Solar Radiation and Energy

876 Questions

Enhance your general science knowledge with these questions on solar radiation and energy. The topics span solar thermal power plants, photovoltaic devices, and the sun's energy output. This material is useful for environmental studies and physics.

Solar energy conversionSun luminosity and compositionAtmospheric reflectionSolar thermal technology

Solar Radiation and Energy Questions

Multiple choice biology living in harmony climate factors abiotic components organisms and environment

The lag in daily temperature refers to the time lag between the:

  1. Time of maximum solar radiation and the time of maximum temperature

  2. Time of minimum temperature and the time of maximum solar radiation

  3. Minimum and maximum temperature for a day

  4. Minimum and maximum solar energy received at the surface for a given day
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The lag in daily temperature occurs because the Earth's surface continues to receive and store heat even after the sun has passed its peak intensity at solar noon. The maximum temperature is typically reached a few hours after the maximum solar radiation.

Multiple choice biology living in harmony climate factors abiotic components organisms and environment

In which ecosystem sun energy is replaced by highly concentrated potential energy of chemicals and fuels?

  1. Man subsidized solar power ecosystem

  2. Unsubsidized natural solar powered ecosystem

  3. Naturally subsidized solar powered ecosystem

  4. Fuel power ecosystem
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A fuel-powered ecosystem is one where the primary energy input is not solar radiation but rather the combustion of fossil fuels or other concentrated chemical energy sources, often seen in industrial or urban settings.

Multiple choice biology living in harmony climate factors abiotic components organisms and environment

Solar radiations heat up

  1. Land faster than the water bodies

  2. Land slower that the water bodies

  3. Equally both land and water bodies

  4. Neither land nor water bodies.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Solar radiation is radiant energy emitted by the sun. The land being darker and less reflective will absorb great deal of solar radiation and will have significant increase in temperature.

Multiple choice evs artificial satellite types of artificial satellites geostationary orbits moon and stars in sky

Motion of artificial earth satellites around the earth is powered by

  1. Liquid fuel

  2. Solar batteries

  3. Atomic energy

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 A satellite orbits Earth when its speed is balanced by the pull of Earth gravity. Without this balance, the satellite would fly in a straight line off into space or fall back to Earth.

So, the the motion of satellites around the earth is powered by the gravitational pull of the earth, which provides the necessary centripetal force for the satellite to orbit the earth.

Multiple choice biology air and water pollution control environmental impact: global warming green house effect geobiochemical cycle

The radiations from the sun is trapped by the earth's atmosphere. This effect is called :

  1. green house effect

  2. nursery effect

  3. trapping effect

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The greenhouse effect is the process by which radiation from the sun is trapped by greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere, warming the planet.

Multiple choice chemistry air and water pollution control environmental impact: global warming green house effect geobiochemical cycle

Solar energy stored in material such as wood, grain, sugar, and municipal waste is called:

  1. fossil fuels

  2. biomass

  3. geothermal energy

  4. natural gas
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Biomass contains stored energy. That's because plants absorb energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis. When biomass is burned, this stored energy is released as heat. Burning biomass releases carbon dioxide.

Multiple choice biology air and water pollution control environmental impact: global warming green house effect geobiochemical cycle

What is the cause of Green house effect?

  1. Infrared rays

  2. Ultraviolet rays

  3. X-rays

  4. Radio waves
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sun gives out UV, infrared and visible radiation gets received by the earth. The incoming solar energy from the sun is redirected back towards space by the atmosphere and clouds and then some of the solar energy gets absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds. And the remaining energy gets absorbed by the Earth’s surface making it warm. This energy then gets converted into heat.

Now once this heat gets absorbed by the earth’s surface, it is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere and thereby adding to increase the earth’s temperature. This effect is what we call the ‘Greenhouse Effect’.

 Thus, Infrared rays are the cause of the Greenhouse effect.

Hence, the correct option is $A$

Multiple choice chemistry air and water pollution control environmental impact: global warming green house effect geobiochemical cycle

What is the cause of Green house effect?

  1. Infra-red rays

  2. Ultra violet rays

  3. X-rays

  4. Radio waves
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The greenhouse gases absorb more of infrared rays and emits heat and this heat cannit be escaped from the atmosphere-resulting in heating up of the earth surface thereby resulting in global warming and hence greenhouse effect.

Multiple choice geography irrigation and power generation of electricity exploration and conservation of minerals secondary sector : industry

The power which is obtained from the light of the sun is called ______________.

  1. nuclear power

  2. tidal power

  3. thermal power

  4. solar power
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt power plants and artificial photosynthesis.

Multiple choice geography irrigation and power generation of electricity exploration and conservation of minerals secondary sector : industry

The power generated from the heat in the interior of the earth is called _______________.

  1. nuclear power

  2. thermal power

  3. solar power

  4. geothermal power
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Geothermal energy refers to the heat and electricity produced by using the heat from the interior of the Earth. Geothermal energy exists because, the Earth grows progressively hotter with increasing depth. Where the geothermal gradient is high, high temperatures are found at shallow depths.

Multiple choice bio-chemistry carbohydrate metabolism energy output living organisms and energy production respiration in cell

The radiant energy is stored in the form of chemical energy in

  1. NADP

  2. Stored food

  3. RNA

  4. DNA
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Photosynthesis is an energy conversion process. During photosynthesis green plants trap solar energy and synthesize sugars. Thus light energy present in photons is converted to chemical energy, which is trapped in the bonds of sugar molecules.

Multiple choice bio-chemistry carbohydrate metabolism energy output living organisms and energy production respiration in cell

The amount of energy the earth receives from the sun per year is

  1. $15 \times 100^{20} kcal$
  2. $10 \times 10^{30} kcal$
  3. $15 \times 10^{20} kcal$
  4. $15 \times 10^{25} kcal$
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The sun is considered as the major source of energy. The solar energy is the renewable form of energy and is used for various purposes like generating electricity, working of the solar batteries, etc. The total amount of the energy which is received by the earth from the sun is equal to about 15×10$^{20}$ kcal.

Thus, the correct answer is option C. 

Multiple choice commercial applications global environmental change causes of resource depletion causes of greenhouse effect ozone layer depletion

Identify the harmful radiations emitted by the sun.

  1. Ultra violet

  2. Infra red

  3. Visible

  4. Radio waves
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The ultraviolet radiations are the harmful rays which are present in the sun rays. The radiations are emitted from the sun and are harmful to living organisms. The ozone layer prevents the entry of these radiations into the Earth's atmosphere. The depletion of the ozone layer allows the radiations to cause harm to the plants and animals on the Earth.

Thus, the correct answer is option A.