In tropical latitudes, the Sun's rays pass through less atmosphere, so energy lost to absorption and reflection by the atmosphere is:

• A. More energy
• B. Less energy
• C. The same amount of energy
• D. No energy

Answer: (B)

When the Sun is overhead in tropical latitudes, its rays travel through a thinner layer of the atmosphere. Fewer air molecules and aerosols mean there is less opportunity for the light to be absorbed or scattered back into space. Since absorption and reflection by the atmosphere remove some of the incoming solar energy before it can reach the surface, a shorter atmospheric path reduces those losses. As a result, more solar energy actually reaches the surface. So the energy lost to the atmosphere is less in tropical regions.