Earth takes in thermal energy from the Sun in a process called:

• A. radiation
• B. reflection
• C. conduction
• D. convection

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the modes of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation are the three primary ways thermal energy is transferred.
2. Conduction is the transfer of heat through direct contact between materials, where energy is passed from molecule to molecule.
3. Convection involves the movement of fluid (liquid or gas) carrying heat from one place to another, often seen in air or water currents.
4. Radiation is the transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves, which can travel through the vacuum of space without needing a medium.
5. Since the Earth receives energy from the Sun through space (a vacuum), the process must be radiation, as conduction and convection require a medium and reflection is the bouncing back of energy, not absorption.