The greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect refers to a change in the temperature of the Earth caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases that absorb and emit radiation. They include water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane. They warm the atmosphere by absorbing infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, by the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. As a result the atmosphere radiates thermal infrared to the Earth’s surface. Thus, greenhouse gases trap heat in the surface of the planet.
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