Answer:
o Surface Type- Because the atmosphere is heated by the Earth's surface, the surface type plays an important role in the surface air temperature. o Elevation and Aspect- Higher altitude generally has colder temps b/c the air is less dense and there are fewer molecules to absorb incoming solar radiation.
The Earth's surface is actually what heats the air above it.
Explanation:
The energy from the sun is "short-wave", and as such air is transparent to it. The sunlight goes right through the air without heating it at all. This "short-wave" radiation is absorbed by the Earth which then heats up. The heated Earth then emits it's own radiation but it is in the infrared part of the spectrum or "long-wave" radiation. This heat is what warms the atmosphere.
