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Lesson 1
Key Idea 2: Earth's Unique Climate

Several important factors make our planet's climate unique and hospitable for life. These include:

  1. Earth's proximity to the sun and elliptical orbit, which affect the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth.
  2. The angle of Earth's axis, which leads to climatic differences at different latitudes.
  3. Earth's albedo, which affects the amount of solar energy that gets absorbed by Earth's surface.
  4. The number and type of molecules in Earth's atmosphere, which interact with electromagnetic radiation.
  5. Earth's ocean and atmospheric currents, which transfer huge amounts of energy around the globe and influence weather patterns.
  6. The biosphere, which contributes to atmospheric gas concentrations and affects Earth's albedo.

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