the thinner the gas (less atoms per m³), the less temperature it transfers
athmosphere filters light: which is why we see the sky as blue and why a very clear hot day has a high UV index (though most of the dangerous radiation gets reflected)
space temperature works via radiation; the habitable band around earth has 80 to 120°C in direct sun exposure, while it’s freezing -120 to -150°C in earths shadow; mainly through infrared radiation
I guess the short version is; a balance between infrared reflectivity and direct transfer, with heat house effect also playing a role. But the ground absorbing the majority of the radiation/temperature, is the main reason in the Troposphere.
Yeah, it’s not as simple as the comments suggest.
I think a good start are those articles: Athmosphere of Earth, Albedo, Greenhouse effect, together with the facts
I guess the short version is; a balance between infrared reflectivity and direct transfer, with heat house effect also playing a role. But the ground absorbing the majority of the radiation/temperature, is the main reason in the Troposphere.