What role does the energy from the Sun play in Earth's climate system?

• A. It heats only the land surfaces directly.
• B. It drives convection and thereby causes ocean currents and winds.
• C. It has no effect on weather patterns.
• D. It causes the Moon's phases.

Answer: (B)

Energy from the Sun warms Earth and its oceans, creating temperature differences that set air and water in motion. Warm air rises and cool air sinks, driving convection in the atmosphere and producing wind patterns that move heat around the globe. In the oceans, sunlight warms surface waters and creates density differences that drive currents, distributing heat and shaping climate. This ongoing redistribution of energy and moisture under solar input is what leads to weather and the various climate patterns we experience. The Moon’s phases aren’t caused by solar energy affecting Earth’s climate; they arise from the changing geometry of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.