Question 1:

The correct values of emissivity for an ideal black surface and an ideal silver (mirrored) surface are:

• Ideal black surface: Emissivity = 1
• Ideal silver surface: Emissivity = 0

Thus, the answer is B: 1 for the black surface and 0 for the silver surface.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 2:

The best definition of the 'albedo' of a body is:

A. The fraction of radiation scattered compared to the incident radiation.

Albedo specifically refers to the measure of reflectivity of a surface, indicating how much light or radiation is reflected compared to the amount that is incident upon it.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 3:

The accepted average value of the Earth's albedo is:

A. 0.3

This means that approximately 30% of the incoming solar radiation is scattered (reflected) back into space.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 4:

The best description of the solar constant is:

C. The intensity of radiation from the Sun incident on the Earth's atmosphere.

The solar constant represents the amount of solar electromagnetic radiation per unit area that is received outside the Earth's atmosphere on a surface perpendicular to the rays of the Sun.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 5:

Let’s break this down.

Step 1: Understand the setup

• The solar constant S is the amount of solar radiation received per unit area per unit time at Earth’s mean distance from the Sun, on a surface perpendicular to the Sun’s rays.

• The Earth’s cross-section to the Sun is a circle of radius R (Earth’s radius), so the total power intercepted by Earth is:

Step 2: How this energy is distributed
The Earth is a sphere of surface area 4πR², and it rotates, so over a year the solar energy is spread over the whole surface area (on average).

Step 3: Average flux at top of atmosphere
If the total incoming power P_in is spread uniformly over the Earth’s surface area 4πR², the average irradiance (power per unit area) at the top of the atmosphere is:

Step 4: Interpretation
This S/4 is the globally averaged annual solar radiation incident on the top of the atmosphere.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 6:

The best description of the peak wavelength emitted by the Sun and Earth acting as black bodies is:

C. visible for the Sun and infrared for the Earth.

The Sun emits most of its radiation in the visible spectrum, while the Earth, being cooler, emits primarily in the infrared spectrum.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 7:

A major greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is:

A. Water vapour

Water vapour is a significant contributor to the greenhouse effect, trapping heat in the atmosphere.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 8:

The correct answer is B.

Reasoning:

• CO₂ does not absorb a wide spectrum of incoming solar radiation (that’s mostly in visible light, which CO₂ is mostly transparent to).

• Instead, it absorbs selective wavelengths of infrared radiation emitted by the Earth (specifically around 15 μm and other bands).

• After absorption, it re-radiates energy in all directions (not just downward), but the net effect is an increase in the energy retained in the Earth system.

• Options C and D incorrectly say it re-radiates only back down to Earth; in reality, it’s in all directions.

• “Selective” is correct because absorption occurs in specific IR bands, not across a wide spectrum.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 9:

The correct answer is B.

Reasoning:

• When a molecule’s natural vibrational or rotational frequency matches the frequency of an incoming photon, energy is efficiently absorbed — this is resonance.

• The enhanced greenhouse effect (A) refers to the increase in greenhouse effect due to human activities.

• Interference (C) is a wave phenomenon related to superposition, not specifically this photon-molecule interaction.

• Quantisation (D) refers to energy levels being discrete, which is involved but not the name of the matching-frequency effect.

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.

Question 10:

To determine the value of the heat transfer shown by the arrow labeled X in a simplified climate model, I would need to see the specific diagram or additional context. However, if you can provide more details about the specific values or context in the diagram, I can help you analyze it!

* The Earth is at a constant temperature,  in long-term equilibrium, so the total input and total output must be equal.

The input at the top of the atmosphere consists of 340 W/m² - that is the only consideration. The output into space is 100 W/m² + X + 150 W/m^2.

Therefore X = 340 - 250 = 90 W/m² (answer D).

The silverback

*These A.I. responses have been individually checked to ensure they match the accepted answer, but explanations may still be incorrect. Responses may give guidance but the A.I. might not be able to answer the question! This is particularly the case for questions based on diagrams, which the A.I. typically cannot interpret.
Grade Gorilla uses Gemini, Deepseek and a range of other A.I. chatbots to generate the saved responses. Some answers have had human intervention for clarity or where the A.I. has not been able to answer the question.