Greenhouse effect

Greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the Earth’s surface. When the Sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases.

Overview

The absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface. This process maintains the Earth’s temperature at around 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it would otherwise be, allowing life on Earth to exist.

Greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere include water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. These gases allow sunlight to enter the atmosphere freely. When sunlight strikes the Earth's surface, some of it is reflected back towards space as infrared radiation (heat). Greenhouse gases absorb this infrared radiation and trap the heat in the atmosphere, causing the Earth's temperature to rise. This is known as the greenhouse effect.

Human activities and the greenhouse effect

Human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have increased concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide. This increase in greenhouse gases enhances the greenhouse effect, causing the Earth's temperature to rise even further. This process is known as global warming.

Impacts of the greenhouse effect

The impacts of the enhanced greenhouse effect include rising temperatures, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and changes in precipitation patterns. These changes can have significant impacts on ecosystems and human societies.

See also

• Climate change
• Global warming
• Carbon dioxide
• Methane
• Ozone

References

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Greenhouse effect

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  Climate Change Schematic

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  Greenhouse effect with energy flows shown by altitude

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  Eunice Newton Foote - greenhouse effect

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  Furnaces of the world - Popular Mechanics - Global warming

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  Climate Factor CO₂ (ZDF, Terra X)

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  Earth's heating rate since 2005

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  Mauna Loa CO2 monthly mean concentration

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  Solar spectrum

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  Spectral Greenhouse Effect

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  Effective temperature for climate thermal radiation

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  Outgoing radiation with and without Greenhouse effect

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  Spectral OLR