3 ms·
Simple answer -- the earth's surface heat energy is radiated away into space, the ultimate heat sink. Barring any limiting factors like atmospheric CO2 to preve
by lutusp 12y ago
Simple answer -- the earth's surface heat energy is radiated away into space, the ultimate heat sink. Barring any limiting factors like atmospheric CO2 to prevent loss of energy, and absorbed sunlight, the surface temperature could fall to 2.7 Kelvins, the so-called CMB and the universe's background temperature.
- gus_massa 12y agoDon't forget water vapor (and clouds), that is the main greenhouse gas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas#Impacts_on_the_overall_greenhouse_effect http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_gas#Impacts_on_the_o...
- lutusp 12y agoI left this off the list because a frozen snowball earth was the topic. But yes, water vapor, methane and other greenhouse gases play an important part in most circumstances.