Geomagntic - Climate, page-101

Infrared is electromagnetic radiation (the IR segment of the ER spectrum - look up ER spectrum). As such it can only interact by radiation, i.e. IR radiative heating between molecules occurs because the donating molecule emits IR (if it is capable) and the receiving molecule absorbs the IR (if it is capable).

An IR emitting molecule can only heat a IR non-absorbing molecule by physical contact that allows the donating molecule to pass some of its kinetic energy to the receiving molecule when they collide (this process is the basis of conduction - energy transfer by contact)

O and N are heated by conduction from rocks because the O and N molecules are colliding with the hot surface molecules of rock and absorbing some of their kinetic energy.

The explanation by Cool Cosmos is erroneous - probably written by a dumb yank.

Further the term HEAT is nearly always used incorrectly. HEAT is not ENERGY, more specifically not THERMAL ENERGY. If your hand is cold and you place it on a hotter object then the object feels hot because thermal energy is being transferred from the hot object to your cold hand. Thus the thermodynamic definition of HEAT is THERMAL ENERGY BEING TRANSFERRED FROM A HOTTER OBJECT TO A COLDER OBJECT. Accordingly THERMAL ENERGY is a 'thing' while HEAT is a 'process'.

HEAT as a process can be achieved by radiation or conduction (or convection).