Solar radiation is converted to sensible and latent heat at Earth’s surface. A change in sensible heat results in a change in the temperature of a medium, whereas energy stored as latent heat is used to drive a process, such as a phase change in a substance from its liquid to its gaseous state, and does not produce a change in temperature. Thus, the daily maximum surface temperature at a given location is dependent on the amount of radiant energy converted to sensible heat. Water available for evaporation increases latent heating by adding water vapour to the atmosphere. As a ...(100 of 37038 words)