Consider the following statements: Statement-I : The atmosphere is h

Consider the following statements:

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Statement-I :
The atmosphere is heated more by incoming solar radiation than by terrestrial radiation.
Statement-II :
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are good absorbers of long wave radiation.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements ?

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I

Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect

Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC IAS – 2024

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Statement-I is incorrect. The atmosphere is largely transparent to incoming shortwave solar radiation, which primarily reaches and heats the Earth’s surface. The heated surface then emits longwave terrestrial radiation. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, are effective absorbers of this longwave radiation. The absorption of terrestrial radiation by greenhouse gases is the primary mechanism by which the atmosphere is heated. Therefore, the atmosphere is heated more by terrestrial radiation than by incoming solar radiation directly.
Statement-II is correct. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (like water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide) are indeed good absorbers of longwave (infrared) radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface. This absorption and subsequent re-emission of longwave radiation is the fundamental process of the greenhouse effect, which warms the lower atmosphere.
Since Statement-I is incorrect and Statement-II is correct, option D is the correct choice.

The greenhouse effect describes the process where atmospheric gases trap heat (longwave radiation) radiated by the Earth’s surface, warming the atmosphere. The atmosphere receives energy directly from the sun (shortwave) and indirectly from the Earth’s surface (longwave).

While the atmosphere does absorb some incoming solar radiation (e.g., ozone absorbs UV), the bulk of the atmospheric heating, particularly in the troposphere, comes from the absorption of terrestrial longwave radiation.

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