Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : The Environmentalist Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Thomas A Watson who wrote (22522)	7/26/2008 11:35:12 AM
From: maceng2	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 36917

Simply, equilibrium is when all things are evened out. Nothing is heating or cooling. Yes, well that is what equilibrium means. If the planet was not in a state of approximate equilibrium we would all be dead. No doubt about that point. Regarding the rest of what you are saying, you need to take note of what "roughly speaking" means, and also the words "heat flow". All bodies emit electromagnetic radiation above zero degrees Kelvin. If a cold body is placed next to a hotter body, they will both emit and absorb each others electromagnetic radiation. The hotter body will emit more, and the cold body will warm up to the temperature of the hot body. If there is only a finite amount of heat energy in the hotter body it will also cool as it emits electromagnetic radiation. Nearly all out energy comes from the sun. The surface of the planet is warmer because we have an atmosphere then if we didn't have an atmosphere. This is the last I will speak on this matter. It's gone way beyond boring.