Answer:
Explanation:For any given spot on earth, solar energy is affected by:
Time of day.
Distance from the sun.
Angle of the sun off of normal.
Cloud cover.
Pollution.
Intensity of the sun, it varies slightly.
The amount of solar energy that reaches the earth is depended on our position in orbit. We have an elliptical orbit and receive more sunlight during the winter than summer, but only slightly so.
How much sunlight reaches the surface (solid ground or sea level) is dependent on the amount of particulate is in the atmosphere (soot, smoke, pollution, etc.), and how much ozone, water vapor, CO2, fluorocarbons, nitric oxide and the like are present. These latter block some sunlight or absorb some solar energy warming the upper atmosphere but also reflect infra red radiation back towards the surface (global warming). ozone, water vapor and CO2 are essential for the existence of life on earth, but the ratio and amount of each have been in a delicate balance that created the climate we have and promoted the wonderful eco-system we have enjoyed for the last 75,000 years. Human activity has disrupted that balance and now threaten to radically change our climate.
