The greenhouse effect

Cards (2)

  • what is the greenhouse effect? what are greenhouse gases?
    • maintain temperatures on Earth high enough to support life
    • allow short wavelength radiation from the sun to pass through the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface, but absorb the outgoing long wavelength radiation from the Earth causing an increase in temperature
    • water vapour, carbon dioxide, and methane
  • why is the greenhouse effect necessary for life?
    • natural phenomenon
    • without it, Earth would be too cold for life to exist