The statement that best describes conditions that would result in net global cooling is:
e. Solar energy entering Earth's atmosphere is less than energy leaving.
When the solar energy entering Earth's atmosphere is less than the energy leaving, it means that more energy is being radiated or reflected back into space than is being absorbed. This leads to a net loss of energy from the Earth's system, resulting in a cooling effect.
In contrast, options a, b, c, and d describe conditions that would generally result in net global warming or temperature stability:
a. Removing trees (deforestation) would remove insulation from Earth's surface, resulting in less heat loss and potentially leading to warming.
b. Solar energy entering Earth's atmosphere equals energy leaving represents an energy balance and would result in temperature stability.
c. Solar energy entering Earth's atmosphere exceeds energy leaving would lead to a net gain of energy in the Earth's system, resulting in global warming.
d. Energy flows through ecosystems, with some energy lost at every transition refers to energy transfer within ecosystems, which does not directly influence global climate or cooling.
Therefore, option e is the most appropriate choice for conditions resulting in net global cooling.