Correct Option
The correct option is 1 only
Explanation
The interaction between incoming solar radiation and the Earth's atmosphere involves processes such as transmission, absorption, reflection, and scattering. The atmosphere behaves selectively towards different wavelengths of radiation, being largely transparent to incoming short-wave radiation while absorbing specific bands through various atmospheric constituents.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: The atmosphere is largely transparent to incoming short-wave solar radiation. The incoming solar energy enters the atmosphere as short waves and reaches the Earth's surface with relatively minor depletion compared to the outgoing long-wave terrestrial radiation, which is absorbed by greenhouse gases.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: Water vapour and ozone are not completely transparent to near-infrared radiation. While the atmosphere is largely transparent to visible light, water vapour is a significant absorber of incoming solar radiation in the near-infrared part of the spectrum. Ozone primarily absorbs ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere, but water vapour and carbon dioxide in the troposphere do absorb certain bands of infrared radiation.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: The blue colour of the sky is not caused by the absorption of light by water vapour. Instead, it is the result of the scattering of light by gas molecules and fine dust particles in the atmosphere (Rayleigh scattering). Shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) are scattered more strongly than longer wavelengths (red), giving the sky its characteristic blue appearance.
Key Takeaway
Key Takeaway: The atmosphere is transparent to short-wave solar radiation but opaque to long-wave terrestrial radiation (Greenhouse Effect). The blue sky is a phenomenon of light scattering, not absorption.