SN Kansagra School
Chapter 13- Insolation Reading Material
Academic Year 2024 – 2025
STD.: 9 SUBJECT: Geography
Name of Student: Section:
In the previous chapter, we discussed what the
atmosphere is made up of and how it contributes towards
sustaining life on earth.In this chapter, we are going to
discuss in detail some of the topics like insolation,
terrestrial radiation, heat budget of the earth and factors
affecting temperatures on the earth’s surface
Insolation or Incoming Solar Radiation
Our primary source of energy or heat is the sun. For
weather and climate processes, it offers solar energy or
fuel. Solar radiation describes the power emitted by the
sun. Insolation refers to the amount of solar radiation
reaching the planet. The solar radiation travels at a speed
of 3,00,000 km per second and takes about 8 minutes and
20 seconds to travel 150 million kilometers.
The amount of insolation received on the earth’s surface
is far less than that is radiated from the sun because of
the small size of the earth and its distance from the sun.
Only 1 out of 2 billion units of solar radiation reaches the
earth. Even this much solar radiation is enough to help life
exist on the earth.
The insolation is in the form of shortwave length hence
very less amount of insolation is absorbed by the
atmosphere. Lets say, the earth relieves 100 units of
insolation. Out of these, 35 units are reflected by clouds,
14 units are absorbed by the components of the
atmosphere like water vapour and various gases while 51
units are absorbed by the earth’s surface.
The amount of insolation received decreases towards the
poles due to the spherical shape of the earth
Terrestrial Radiation
The earth acts as a radiating body and radiates energy in
the form of long wavelengths to the atmosphere. This
process is called terrestrial radiation and these long wave
radiations heat up the atmosphere from below. The
atmosphere in turn radiates and transmits the heat into
space.
As terrestrial radiation is in the form of longer
wavelengths, it is absorbed more by the atmosphere.
Let's say that the earth radiates all 51 units of insolation
absorbed during the day at night. Out of these, 34 units
are absorbed by the components of the atmosphere
whereas 17 units are released back into space. So 14% of
insolation and 67% of terrestrial radiation is absorbed by
the atmosphere. This proves that the atmosphere is
heated more during the nights
The following diagram shows how the atmosphere is
heated by insolation and terrestrial radiation
Day time Night time
Factors affecting the distribution of temperatures
Temperature is the degree of hotness or coldness of a
body. Every place on the earth does not experience the
same temperatures because the amount of insolation and
terrestrial radiation is varied on the earth’s surface.
Temperatures vary from time to time as well.
For example, in the torrid zone, insolation is greater than
terrestrial radiation whereas it is opposite in the frigid
zone. At 45 degrees latitude, insolation decreases by 25%
while it is 50% near the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. So
insolation is equal to terrestrial radiation here.

The factors responsible for difference in temperatures
are:
1. Latitude
2. Altitude
3. Continentality- distance from the sea
4. Ocean Currents and Winds
5. Slope of the land
6. Albedo
1. Latitude:
Due to the earth’s inclination, the mid-day sun is almost
overhead within the tropics but the sun’s rays reach the
earth at an angle outside the tropics. Temperature thus
decreases from equatorial regions to the poles.
This is illustrated in the figure below. It shows two bands
of rays coming from the sun to two different latitudes on
the earth’s surface. The insolation falls vertically over the
equatorial latitudes on place C while it falls obliquely over
the temperate latitudes at place B. At C the insolation
travels through a shorter distance and its concentrated
solar insolation heats up a smaller surface area; hence
temperature is thus high.
C
On the other hand, at place B, it travels through a longer
distance and much of its heat is absorbed by clouds,
water vapour and dust particles. Its oblique ray has to
heat up a large area; temperature is therefore low.
2. Altitude:
Since the atmosphere is mainly heated by conduction
from the earth, it can be expected that places nearer to
the earth’s surface are warmer than those higher up. Thus
temperature decreases with increasing height above sea
level.
This rate of decrease with altitude (lapse rate) is never
constant, varying from place to place and from season to
season. But for all practical purposes, it may be reckoned
that a fall of 1°C. occurs with an ascent of 165 meters.
3. Continentality:
Land surfaces are heated more quickly than water
surfaces because of the higher specific heat of water. In
other words, it requires only one-third as much energy to
raise the temperature of a given volume of land by 1°C.
as it does for an equal volume of water. This accounts for
the warmer summers, colder winters and greater range of
temperature of continental interiors as compared with
coastal areas.
4. Ocean Currents and Winds:
Both ocean currents and winds affect temperature by
transporting their heat or coldness into adjacent regions.
Ocean currents like the Gulf Stream keeps New York
warm during winters and the North Atlantic Drift warms the
coastal districts of Western Europe keeping their ports
ice-free. Ports located in the same latitude but washed by
cold currents, such as the cold Labrador Current off north-
east Canada, are frozen for several months.
The winds also increase or decrease temperatures of
places in areas that they blow . Local winds, e.g. Fohn,
Chinook, Loo and Mistral, also produce marked changes
in temperature. Loo is a hot wind blowing in the northern
plains of India while Mistral is a cold wind that blows in
Europe
5. Slope of the land:
Mountain ranges that have an east- west alignment like
the Alps or the Himalayas show a higher temperature on
the south-facing ‘sunny slope’ than the north- facing
‘sheltered slope’ as they receive more sunlight
6. Albedo:
Lighter surfaces reflect sunlight which makes polar regions
quite cold where darker areas absorb more radiation so they
are warmer. For example, forested areas near equator are
quite warmer than places in Greenland.

