Net radiometer

A net radiometer is a special tool that scientists use to measure how much energy is coming from the sun and how much is being radiated back into space from Earth. It's like a little box with sensors inside that can detect heat and light.

Think of it like a game of catch. The sun is throwing a ball of energy at Earth, and Earth catches it. But Earth also throws its own ball back out into space. The net radiometer helps us keep score of how much energy is coming in and going out.

The net radiometer works by having two sensors inside, one facing up towards the sky and one facing down towards the ground. The sensor facing up measures how much energy the sun is sending down towards Earth, while the sensor facing down measures how much energy is being bounced back up into the sky.

By subtracting the amount of energy going up from the amount of energy coming down, we can figure out how much energy is being trapped in the Earth's atmosphere. This is important because too much energy getting trapped can lead to global warming and climate change.

So, the net radiometer is like a scorekeeper for the game of catch between the sun and Earth, helping scientists understand how much energy is being exchanged and how it affects our planet.