The Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse Effect The Greenhouse Effect is a term for the role the atmosphere plays in warming the earth’s surface. Infrared rays are trapped by the earth’s atmosphere, keeping the earth warm and habitable. Acting as a pane of glass, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and CFCs trap the heat in. As infrared radiation travels through the atmosphere, much of it is absorbed by atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and …

…weak greenhouse effect. Its surface is much colder than the Earth; in fact it is frozen. Venus has an intense greenhouse effect. Its atmosphere is thick with carbon dioxide and other gases that trap the heat. Venus’ surface is much hotter than the Earth’s – hot enough to melt lead. Without our greenhouse effect, the Earth’s heat would be lost directly into outer space and life on Earth, as we know it, would end.