It's not quite accurate to say that 6 of the Sun's energy is scattered or reflected into space. While it's true that a significant portion of the Sun's energy doesn't reach Earth's surface, it's more accurate to say that around 30% of the Sun's energy is reflected or scattered back into space.

Here's a breakdown of how the Sun's energy is distributed:

* ~70% of the Sun's energy reaches Earth's surface. This is what we call insolation, and it's the energy that drives our climate, weather, and ecosystems.

* ~30% of the Sun's energy is either absorbed or reflected by the atmosphere, clouds, and Earth's surface.

Here are the key mechanisms involved:

* Reflection: This is when sunlight bounces off surfaces like clouds, snow, ice, and even water (though water absorbs some light as well).

* Scattering: This occurs when sunlight interacts with air molecules and dust particles in the atmosphere. The light gets deflected in different directions, effectively reducing the amount of direct sunlight reaching the surface.

* Absorption: This is when some of the Sun's energy is absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere and surface, heating them up.

Therefore, while a large portion of the Sun's energy is lost due to reflection, scattering, and absorption, it's not specifically "6" of the total energy. It's more accurate to say that around 30% of the Sun's energy is scattered or reflected back into space.