What process describes the heating of the atmosphere due to sunlight?

The heating of the atmosphere due to sunlight is best described by the term insolation. Insolation refers to the incoming solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface and is absorbed by the land, water, and atmosphere, resulting in an increase in temperature. This process is critical in understanding how solar energy is distributed across the Earth and influences weather patterns and climate.

Insolation is responsible for the warmth we experience as it accounts for the solar energy that is absorbed and has a direct impact on heating the atmosphere. Different surfaces absorb and reflect this solar radiation differently, which leads to variations in temperature and influences wind patterns, cloud formation, and ultimately, weather systems.

Convection, while related to heat transfer within the atmosphere, involves the movement of air as warm air rises and cool air sinks. Radiation refers more broadly to the transfer of energy through electromagnetic waves, and condensation involves the change of water vapor into liquid, which is a separate process relevant to cloud formation and precipitation. However, none of these processes specifically conveys the direct heating effect of sunlight like insolation does.