1. Since infrared radiation is heat energy, it isn't as dangerous as UV radiation, which is the most energetic form of sun radiation. UV light can cause cancer and damage living organisms because it has high enough energy to break covalent bonds.
2. Visible radiation can energize electrons in some chemical bonds. It can also scatter throughout Earth and cause red sunsets and blue skies.
3. Since there is less water vapor, infrared radiation is not stored, reradiated, and reflected back into the atmosphere but the visible and UV radiation directly exposed to the surface of the Earth is used to heat the Earth. This results in wider air-temperature fluctuations because not as much heat is stored in the clouds.
4. a. If Earth had fewer gas molecules, the daytime temperature would much cooler because infrared radiation couldn't be stored and reradiated.
b. The nighttime temperature would also be much cooler since there is less heat to store during the day.
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