Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 14 - Heat - Questions - Page 407: 26

Answer

Heat can more easily radiate out of the atmosphere with nothing to reflect it back.

Work Step by Step

The Earth cools mainly though a radiative process. On a cloudy night, clouds absorb the radiated energy, and reradiate some of it back downward, reducing the net energy loss.
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