What Is the Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 1

The average temperature of the earth's surface is about 15°C (59°F). The temperature largely is determined by the amount of energy absorbed from the sun versus the amount of energy emitted into space by the earth. The energy absorbed by the sun mainly covers wavelengths from the ultraviolet (< 400 nm) through the visible (400 to 700 nm) though the ultraviolet (> 700 nm).

Any change in the balance between the quantity of energy absorbed compared to the amount emitted affects climate. The "greenhouse effect" is concerned with the infrared radiation given off by the earth. Part of this radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere, rather than being lost to space. The gases in the atmosphere that absorb infrared light primarily are water (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (NO2) and methane (CH4).
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The gases act as a sort of insulating blanket for the earth, in the same way they would act to lessen heat loss from a greenhouse, hence the name 'greenhouse effect'. It is estimated that the mean global surface temperature of the earth would be -25°C (-13°F) if not for the absorption of energy by carbon dioxide and water.

The concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere is higher than that of carbon dioxide. Consequently, most of this energy conservation is attributable to water. You can see this effect when you look at how temperature drops less on nights with heavy cloud cover as opposed to clear skies or when you consider how large the temperature difference between day and night is in places with lower relative humidity, like the desert.

Although the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is low (~375 ppm in 2005), it has been increasing appreciably over time. A century ago, the carbon dioxide concentration was less than 300 ppm. Human activites are accountable for this increase, including consumption of fossil fuels and extensive clearing of land (less carbon dioxide can be consumed by photosynthesis). Changes in the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are associated with changes in the earth's climate..

Answer 2

The Greenhouse Effect is the mechanism (i.e. the way or the means) by which the Earth maintains and average temperature that is warm enough for life to exist.

Greenhouse gases trap some of the heat energy the originated from the sun and keeps it in the atmosphere where it can warm the planet. They work a little bit like a greenhouse in temperate countries, which traps energy and makes an area warm enough to grow plants that need hot conditions.

It works like this:

The Earth gets energy from the sun in the form of solar radiation, what we call sun light. Sun light is made up of differnt kinds of energy, most of it invisible to us. But the important parts here are the light is light energy and the heat energy.

On reaching the Earth some of the solar radiation (energy) is reflected and goes back into space. Lost forever. But some of it is absorbed by the earth's surface. The earth's surface then emits or radiates some of this energy. It comes out as heat energy.

If there was no atmosphere, then the heat the the earth sends out would escape into space and be lost. The Planet would be much colder. But we have these gases in the atmosphere that can absorb and trap this heat that the earth's surface emits. These gases then re-emit or re-radiate this heat energy back into the atmosphere, warming the atmosphere and the planet.

These gases are called greenhouse gases because they are responsible for the greenhouse effect and include carbon dioxide, methane and water!

Remember the greenhouse effect mainitains an AVERAGE temperature that supports life (some parts of the earth are hot , some cold, some in-between).

Read this page:
http://wikyonos.seos.uvic.ca/people/damon/ICCE/icce.html

Answer 3

The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth’s average temperature would be about 60ºF colder. Because of how they warm our world, these gases are referred to as greenhouse gases


for an animated and good understanding go to this link
http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/greenhouse/

Answer 4

The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth’s average temperature would be about 60ºF colder. Because of how they warm our world, these gases are referred to as greenhouse gases.

Answer 5

The greenhouse effect, was discovered by Joseph Fourier in 1824 and first investigated quantitatively by Svante Arrhenius in 1896. A simple explanation -

The Earth receives heat radiated by the sun. this heat is in turn radiated by the earth (about 30% of it), and this radiated heat is trapped by the atmospheric gases like Carbon dioxide. Had heat not been trapped int his way, the earth would become too cold at night and would not support life.

Answer 6

Glass has a property that it allows infrared radiation of shorter wavelengths to pass through it and not infrared radiation of longer wavelength.
Infra-red radiation has a property of heating a body.

A greenhouse is a house like structure made of glass. Its glass roof and wall allow the heat and sunlight to enter in, but do not allow heat to escape. Since sunlight has shorter wavelength it passes through glass and heats up the content in the glass. This body or content inside the glass house has lesser temperature and emits longer wavelengths of infrared radiation.These radiations are not allowed to go out as glass does not allow infrared radiation of longer wavelength to pass through it. Thus the heat in the house is more as compared to outside atmosphere. It is for this reason that this effect is called greenhouse effect.

In cold regions,the plants are kept in a greenhouse to protect them from the cold conditions prevailing outside.

***Higher the temperature of body, shorter is the wavelength of infrared radiation emitted. Less the temperature, longer is the wavelengths of infrared radiation emitted

Answer 7

Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere traps sunlight and heat from that sunlight, increasing the temperature of the earth.

Read more below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenhouse_effect

Answer 8

its the heating up of the earths atmosphere by the green house gasses such as ozone,nitrogen,methane,and two more.

Answer 9

increase in the level of co2