Do greenhouse gases "trap", "block" or prevent heat from escaping the atmosphere?

Answer 1

not literally

They provide resistance to heat leaving the planet

The molecular bonds absorb the IR light causing them to vibrate with greater amplitude. Since temperature is how much molecules are moving/vibrating this absorption causes an increase in temperature. This energy can be passed on to other molecules through collision - or re-emitted at the same wavelength - eventually the light will escape into space-but if ghg concentration is high there is a higher chance of it being absorbed by another ghg after being emitted - passed from one molecule to another- causing it to stay on the planet longer before escaping into space.

Answer 2

A greenhouse gas (sometimes abbreviated GHG) is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect.[1] The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. In the Solar System, the atmospheres of Venus, Mars, and Titan also contain gases that cause greenhouse effects. Greenhouse gases greatly affect the temperature of the Earth; without them, Earth's surface would be on average about 33 °C (59 °F)[note 1] colder than at present.[2][3][4] Since the beginning of the Industrial revolution, the burning of fossil fuels has increased the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 280ppm to 390ppm.[5][6] Unlike other pollutants, carbon dioxide emissions do not result from inefficient combustion: CO2 is a product of ideal, stoichiometric combustion of carbon. [7] The emissions of carbon are directly proportional to energy consumption.

Answer 3

Heat in primarily the long infrared wavelengths radiates from the surface of the planet. The IR energy on it's way up interacts weakly with the oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere, but still causes some heating. The greenhouse gases scatter the IR energy and allow it to interact with the atmosphere for a longer time period thereby heating the oxygen and nitrogen more so than if there were no greenhouse gases.

Answer 4

As I understood it from Mr. Gore's book, it is like the heat rays are "deflected" off of the ice caps and then the condenscation which should be used to cool the planet becomes trapped or eaten up in the atmosphere by the lingering greenhouse gases...

Answer 5

The generally accepted analogy and hence the term greenhouse is that of a greenhouse where the glass allows energy in and then insulates the environment (in this case Earth) and reflects the heat back. The link below is a good simple explanation - in my mind anyway.

Answer 6

Those words are good metaphors for what really happens, but not scientifically precise. Earth (like all objects at "normal" temeratures) radiates energy away in the form of infrared light. Greenhouse gases absorb infrared light and gain heat as they do so.

Answer 7

All these are common nonscientific words that are descriptive to people about what's going on.

In scientific terms CO2 in the air absorbs infrared radiation coming up from the surface and emits it in all directions, including back down. The effect is to reduce the amount of heat from the Earth that's radiated into space.

But your common words communicate the idea better.

Tomcats answer is also good.

Your recent series of questions is excellent. They are stated objectively and allow communication. Starred.

Answer 8

yup

Answer 9

Yes, yes and yes.