Arrange the following components of solar radiation reaching Earth in…

Concept

Solar spectral irradiance is the radiant flux received from the Sun per unit area, distributed across wavelength bands. Comparing the integrated contribution of each band—not photon energy or wavelength—determines an ascending flux order.

In the solar energy reaching Earth, infrared contributes about 49%, visible radiation about 43%, ultraviolet about 7%, while gamma rays together with X-rays and radio waves contribute less than 1%.

Application

1. Gamma radiation belongs to the residual group contributing less than 1%, so it has the smallest flux among the four named components.

2. Ultraviolet radiation contributes about 7%, placing it above gamma radiation but below the two broad dominant bands.

3. Visible radiation contributes about 43%, while infrared contributes about 49%; therefore visible precedes infrared in ascending order.

4. Combining these comparisons gives gamma radiation → ultraviolet radiation → visible radiation → infrared radiation.

Cross-check and contrast

The approximate shares increase as <1% → 7% → 43% → 49%, independently confirming the same order.

• Ultraviolet radiation → gamma radiation → visible radiation → infrared radiation reverses the two smallest contributions.

• Ultraviolet radiation → gamma radiation → infrared radiation → visible radiation reverses both the two smallest and the two largest contributions.

• Gamma radiation → ultraviolet radiation → infrared radiation → visible radiation reverses the two largest contributions.

Hence, the ascending sequence is gamma radiation → ultraviolet radiation → visible radiation → infrared radiation.