"The greenhouse effect occurs when greenhouse gases in a planet's atmosphere cause some of the heat radiated from the planet's surface to build up at the planet's surface."
The process by which certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere trap heat from the Sun, keeping the Earth's temperature within a certain range conducive to human habitats.
Climate Change: The long-term alteration in the Earth's climate system brought about by human activities.
Carbon Cycle: The process by which carbon is transferred between the atmosphere, oceans, and land.
Impacts of Greenhouse Effect: The effects of greenhouse gases on the Earth's climate, including sea level rise, melting of glaciers, and changes in weather patterns.
Greenhouse Gases: Atmospheric gases that absorb and emit radiation from the Earth's surface, including carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor.
Ozone Layer: A layer in the Earth's stratosphere that contains a high concentration of ozone and plays a critical role in absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Global Warming: The gradual increase in the Earth's overall temperature caused by an increase in greenhouse gases.
Fossil Fuels: Non-renewable resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas that contribute to the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere through the process of combustion.
Renewable Energy: Sustainable sources of energy such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power that produce no greenhouse gases.
Climate Modeling: The use of computer programs to simulate and predict the Earth's climate and the effects of human activity.
Ecosystem Services: The benefits that humans receive from ecosystems, such as air and water purification, soil fertility, and biodiversity, that are threatened by the greenhouse effect.
Mitigation: Actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through policies, technologies, and changes in behavior.
Adaptation: Actions taken to adapt to the impacts of the greenhouse effect such as building sea walls, drought-resistant crops, and water conservation measures.
Carbon Footprint: The total amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by an individual, organization, or product.
Policy and Regulation: Governmental measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as taxes, subsidies, and carbon trading schemes.
Climate Justice: The ethical and political implications of climate change, including the disproportionate effects on vulnerable populations such as the poor, indigenous communities, and developing countries.
Natural Greenhouse Effect: This occurs due to the presence of natural gases, which are necessary for regulating the Earth's temperature. It helps to maintain the temperature within the optimal range for living beings.
Anthropogenic Greenhouse Effect: This is caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, and deforestation. These activities release greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, into the atmosphere. This results in an increase in heat-trapping, leading to global warming.
Enhanced Greenhouse Effect: This is an increase in the natural greenhouse effect due to anthropogenic activities, causing a rise in the Earth's temperature to dangerous levels.
Negative Greenhouse Effect: This is a cooling effect, where aerosols or particulate matter in the atmosphere reflect solar radiation and prevent it from reaching the Earth's surface. This leads to cooling, such as during a volcanic eruption.
Seasonal Greenhouse Effect: This occurs due to the seasonal variation in the temperature, which affects the greenhouse gases' absorption and emission capacity. For example, in winter, the Earth's surface is cold, leading to less emission and more absorption of heat, causing a rise in temperature.
Regional Greenhouse Effect: This occurs in specific regions, depending on the atmospheric conditions, topography, and other factors. For example, the Arctic region experiences more warming due to the high concentration of greenhouse gases and a large ice-cover.
Terrestrial Greenhouse Effect: This is the warming of the Earth's surface due to the insulating effect of the atmosphere, which traps heat energy from the Earth's surface.
"That difference reduces the rate at which a planet can cool off in response to being warmed by its host star."
"The Earth's average surface temperature would be about −18 °C (−0.4 °F) without the greenhouse effect."
"Earth's 20th-century average of about 14 °C (57 °F), or a more recent average of about 15 °C (59 °F)."
"Burning of fossil fuels has increased amounts of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere."
"Global warming of about 1.2 °C (2.2 °F) has occurred since the industrial revolution."
"The global average surface temperature increasing at a rate of 0.18 °C (0.32 °F) per decade since 1981."
"The Sun has a surface temperature of 5,500 °C (9,900 °F), so it emits most of its energy as shortwave radiation in near-infrared and visible wavelengths (as sunlight)."
"Earth's surface has a much lower temperature, so it emits longwave radiation at mid- and far-infrared wavelengths (sometimes called thermal radiation or radiated heat)."
"A gas is a greenhouse gas if it absorbs longwave radiation."
"Earth's atmosphere absorbs only 23% of incoming shortwave radiation."
"Earth's atmosphere absorbs 90% of the longwave radiation emitted by the surface."
"Thus accumulating energy and warming the Earth's surface."
"Stars emit shortwave radiation that passes through greenhouse gases."
"Planets emit longwave radiation that is partly absorbed by greenhouse gases."
"Adding to greenhouse gases further reduces the rate a planet emits radiation to space."
"Raising its average surface temperature."
"In addition to naturally present greenhouse gases."
"As a result, global warming of about 1.2 °C (2.2 °F) has occurred since the industrial revolution."
"Greenhouse gases in a planet's atmosphere cause some of the heat radiated from the planet's surface to build up at the planet's surface."