[2], [4] A simplified animation of the greenhouse effect.
Also find this animated gif on our Causes page.
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Greenhouse gas and effect
The greenhouse effect is the process of gases in Earth's atmosphere trapping heat.
[1] Definition The greenhouse gas is "The infrared radiative effect of all infrared absorbing constituents in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases (GHGs), clouds, and some aerosols absorb terrestrial radiation emitted by the Earth's surface and elsewhere in the atmosphere."
Greenhouse gases are gases causing the greenhouse effect.
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse effect
[1], [2] The greenhouse effect occurs as greenhouse gases in a planet's atmosphere insulate it from losing heat to space, raising its surface temperature, with heating may start from internal heat source (lke Jupiter) or an external one (like its host star). For Earth, the Sun emits shortwave radiation (sunlight) passing into greenhouse gases to heat Earth's surface. In response, the surface emits longwave radiation that's mostly absorbed by greenhouse gases. The longwave radiation absorption stops it from reaching space, reducing the rate Earth can cool off.
Energy flows down from Sun up from Earth and its atmosphere. When greenhouse gases absorb radiation emitted by Earth's surface, they prevent that radiation from escaping into space, causing surface temperatures to rise by about 33 °C (59 °F).
Without the effect, Earth's average surface temperature is cold as −18 °C (−0.4 °F)--much less than the 20th century average of about 14 °C (57 °F). Fossil fuels burning risen amounts of carbon dioxide and methane in atmosphere, so global warming of ~1.2 °C (2.2 °F) started since the Industrial Revolution, via the global average surface temperature rising at 0.18 °C (0.32 °F) rate per decade since 1981.
Eunice Newton Foote recognized carbon dioxide's heat-capturing effect in 1856, appreciating its implications for the planet.
History
History
[1] The effect's was proposed earliest in 1824 by Joseph Fourier. More proves are given by Claude Pouillet in 1827 and 1838.
1856, Eunice Newton Foote shows Sun's warming effect is greater for air with water vapour than dry air and even above with carbon dioxide, concluding that "An atmosphere of that gas give to Earth a high temperature..."
The effect and its impact on climate were succinctly depicted in this 1912 Popular Mechanics article, accessible for reading by the general public.
John Tyndall was the first to measure the infrared absorption and emission of many gases and vapors. From 1859, he shows the effect is due to tiny atmosphere's proportion, with the main gases without effect, and mostly due to water vapor, though small hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide had significant effects. The effect was more quantified by Svante Arrhenius in 1896, who made the first quantitative prediction of global warming due to a hypothetical doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. The term 'greenhouse' is first used to this phenomenon by Nils Gustaf Ekholm in 1901.
In 1896 Svante Arrhenius used Langley's observations of increased infrared absorption where Moon rays pass through the atmosphere at a low angle, encountering more carbon dioxide (CO2), to estimate an atmospheric cooling effect from a future decrease of CO2. He realized that the cooler atmosphere would hold less water vapor (another greenhouse gas) and calculated the additional cooling effect. He also realized the cooling would increase snow and ice cover at high latitudes, making the planet reflect more sunlight and thus further cool down, as James Croll had hypothesized. Overall Arrhenius calculated that cutting CO2 in half would suffice to produce an ice age. He further calculated that a doubling of atmospheric CO2 would give a total warming of 5–6 degrees Celsius.[21]
Greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
Chlorofluorocarbons is a greenhouse gas is strictly anthropogenic (manufactured by humans)?
anthropogenic: (environmental change) originating in human activity.
References
References
[2] Greenhouse gas - Wikipedia
[2.1] Earth's atmosphere
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[8] Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis - IPPC Sixth Assessment Report
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Quizzes
Quizzes
[Q1]
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