ERIC Number: EJ976795
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jan
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0143-0807
EISSN: N/A
Greenhouse Effect: Temperature of a Metal Sphere Surrounded by a Glass Shell and Heated by Sunlight
Nguyen, Phuc H.; Matzner, Richard A.
European Journal of Physics, v33 n1 p91-99 Jan 2012
We study the greenhouse effect on a model satellite consisting of a tungsten sphere surrounded by a thin spherical, concentric glass shell, with a small gap between the sphere and the shell. The system sits in vacuum and is heated by sunlight incident along the "z"-axis. This development is a generalization of the simple treatment of the greenhouse effect given by Kittel and Kroemer (1980 "Thermal Physics" (San Francisco: Freeman)) and can serve as a very simple model demonstrating the much more complex Earth greenhouse effect. Solution of the model problem provides an excellent pedagogical tool at the Junior/Senior undergraduate level. (Contains 2 figures and 1 footnote.)
Descriptors: Climate, Horticulture, Science Instruction, College Science, Models, Science Experiments, Energy, Problem Solving, Teaching Methods, Undergraduate Students, Equations (Mathematics), Scientific Principles, Scientific Concepts
Institute of Physics Publishing. The Public Ledger Building Suite 929, 150 South Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 215-627-0880; Fax: 215-627-0879; e-mail: info@ioppubusa.com; Web site: http://www.iop.org/EJ/journal/EJP
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A