<P> Earth 's internal heat powers most geological processes and drives plate tectonics . Despite its geological significance , this heat energy coming from Earth 's interior is actually only 0.03 % of Earth 's total energy budget at the surface , which is dominated by 173,000 TW of incoming solar radiation . The insolation that eventually , after reflection , reaches the surface penetrates only several tens of centimeters on the daily cycle and only several tens of meters on the annual cycle . This renders solar radiation irrelevant for internal processes . </P>
<P> Earth 's internal heat powers most geological processes and drives plate tectonics . Despite its geological significance , this heat energy coming from Earth 's interior is actually only 0.03 % of Earth 's total energy budget at the surface , which is dominated by 173,000 TW of incoming solar radiation . The insolation that eventually , after reflection , reaches the surface penetrates only several tens of centimeters on the daily cycle and only several tens of meters on the annual cycle . This renders solar radiation irrelevant for internal processes . </P>
the majority of the heat energy on the earth 's surface comes from where
the majority of the heat energy on the earth 's surface comes from where
incoming solar radiation
incoming solar radiation