Calculating Earth's Absorbed Solar Power Using Stefan's Law

In summary, the Earth's surface temperature is 270 K with an emissivity of 0.8 and space has a temperature of 2 K. To solve for the power absorbed by the Earth from the Sun, Stefan's law can be used with the Earth's radius being 6.38×106 m and the Sun's radius being 7×108 m. For part (c), the energy absorbed by the Earth constitutes only 1/(1010) of the Sun's total radiant energy to space. To find the surface temperature of the Sun, the total energy radiated by the Sun can be calculated using Stefan's law and considering the Sun as a black body with an emissivity of 1.0. Using this information
  • #1
Alt+F4
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The Earth has a surface temperature around 270 K and an emissivity of 0.8, while space has a temperature of around 2 K.
Use Stefan's law: P(net) = 5.67×10-8 W/K4 m2 *A*e*(T4 - To4) to solve the following questions.
(Radii of the Earth and the Sun are Re = 6.38×106 m, Rs = 7×108 m.)



(b) If the Earth is in thermal equilibrium, how much power must the Earth absorb from the Sun?

I know that this means that net flux is zero, that heat in equals heat out.

So how can i use Stefan's law to help me solve this?
 
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  • #2
The question is just asking you to calculate the power emitted by the Earth, or how much power is the Earth radiating into space.

Now with that answer, the additional question is, if the Earth is emitting so much power and it is in total not losing any power (due to the thermal equilibrium stated), then how much power must it be getting (absorbing from the Sun)?

Hint: A = B ;)
 
  • #3
(c) If the energy absorbed by the Earth from the Sun constitutes only 1/(1010) of the Suns total radiant energy to the space, and consider the Sun is a black body, what is the surface temperature of the Sun in Kelvin K?
T_sun = K

the total energy radiated by the sun and then use Stephan's law and solve for T_sun. For black body, emissivity is 1.0. Rsun = 7×10^8 m.)


So i tried to be smart about this one and googled surface area of sun in kelvin but none of the answers will work

So i got the Power emited by Earth which was 1.233 *10^17

So Power emited by sun : (1/10^10) * 1.23*10^17 = 12300000 W

So I = eAsigma T^4

1230000 = (1)(5.67*10^-8)(4*pi * (7*10^8)^2))* X^4


After all of that i get .077 Kelvin which makes no sense

I know from google it is around 4800-6000 K
 
  • #4
Alt+F4 said:
(c) If the energy absorbed by the Earth from the Sun constitutes only 1/(1010) of the Suns total radiant energy to the space, and consider the Sun is a black body, what is the surface temperature of the Sun in Kelvin K?
T_sun = K

the total energy radiated by the sun and then use Stephan's law and solve for T_sun. For black body, emissivity is 1.0. Rsun = 7×10^8 m.)


So i tried to be smart about this one and googled surface area of sun in kelvin but none of the answers will work

So i got the Power emited by Earth which was 1.233 *10^17

So Power emited by sun : (1/10^10) * 1.23*10^17 = 12300000 W

So I = eAsigma T^4

1230000 = (1)(5.67*10^-8)(4*pi * (7*10^8)^2))* X^4


After all of that i get .077 Kelvin which makes no sense

I know from google it is around 4800-6000 K
Am i even using the right Forumula?
 
  • #5
I don't Need help anymore, i Found out the Answer
 

1. How is Stefan's Law used to calculate Earth's absorbed solar power?

Stefan's Law is used to calculate Earth's absorbed solar power by using the equation P = σAT⁴, where P represents power, σ is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant, A is the Earth's surface area, and T is the temperature of the Earth's surface. This law states that the rate at which a body emits thermal radiation is proportional to the fourth power of its absolute temperature.

2. What is the importance of calculating Earth's absorbed solar power?

Calculating Earth's absorbed solar power is important because it helps us understand the amount of solar energy that is being absorbed by the Earth's surface. This information is crucial for studying climate change, predicting weather patterns, and developing renewable energy sources.

3. How is the Earth's surface temperature determined in this calculation?

The Earth's surface temperature used in the calculation is the average temperature of the Earth's surface, which is typically around 288 K. This value is obtained by taking into account the temperature of different regions of the Earth, including land, oceans, and polar ice caps.

4. Can Stefan's Law be used for other planets or celestial bodies?

Yes, Stefan's Law can be used to calculate the absorbed solar power of any object that has a measurable surface temperature. This includes other planets in our solar system, such as Mars and Venus, as well as stars and other celestial bodies.

5. How accurate is the calculation of Earth's absorbed solar power using Stefan's Law?

The calculation of Earth's absorbed solar power using Stefan's Law is considered to be highly accurate. However, there are other factors that can affect the amount of solar energy absorbed by the Earth's surface, such as the Earth's atmosphere, albedo (reflectivity), and variations in solar activity. Therefore, this calculation should be used as a general estimate and not an exact measurement.

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