What is meant by greenhouse effect

: warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of a planet (such as Earth or Venus) that is caused by conversion of solar radiation into heat in a process involving selective transmission of short wave solar radiation by the atmosphere, its absorption by the planet's surface, and reradiation as infrared which is absorbed and partly reradiated back to the surface by atmospheric gases Recent Examples on the Web That could cause a runaway greenhouse effect in the later part of the century. — Valerie Ross, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2012 So any small greenhouse effect would allow the existence of liquid water. — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2023 In the absence of any greenhouse effect, its surface ought to have an average temperature of -8 degrees centigrade. — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 14 Feb. 2023 In the world beyond classrooms, thinking about climate change involves much more than merely understanding climate science and the greenhouse effect. — Winston Choi-schagrin, New York Times, 1 Nov. 2022 In fact, Venus’ runaway greenhouse effect leaves it with surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead — averaging around 850 degrees Fahrenheit. — Mara Johnson-groh, Discover Magazine, 4 May 2019 Many of the Exxon projections proved to be more precise than those by James Hansen, then-director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, who famously testified before the U.S. Senate in 1988 about the greenhouse effect. — Tony Briscoestaff Write...

Recent Examples on the Web Effects | Facts – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet NASA, accessed March 27, What is the greenhouse effect? — Eleanor Mccrary, USA TODAY, 29 Mar. 2023 Forty years ago, we were taught in school about the greenhouse effect, so this has been around for a while. — Marlow Stern, Rolling Stone, 10 Mar. 2023 There was a Swedish scientist called Svante Arrhenius who set out the principles along which the greenhouse effect operates. — Quartz Staff, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2023 Students can learn about the greenhouse effect and its meaning for the planet while standing in a greenhouse and experiencing it hands-on. — Ariana Bennett, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Feb. 2023 These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the greenhouse effect.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.

Energy from the Sun that makes its way to Earth can have trouble finding its way back out to space. The greenhouse effect causes some of this energy to be waylaid in the atmosphere, absorbed and released by greenhouse gases. Without the greenhouse effect, How Does the Greenhouse Effect Work? Solar energy absorbed at Earth’s surface is radiated back into the There are several A Couple of Common Greenhouse Gases • • Above: (Left) The Earth’s surface, warmed by the Sun, radiates heat into the atmosphere. Some heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and then radiated to space (A). Some heat makes its way to space directly (B). Some heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases and then radiated back towards the Earth’s surface (C). (Right) With more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere later this Century, more heat will be stopped by greenhouse gases, warming the planet. (Image: L.S.Gardiner/UCAR) More Greenhouse Gases = A Warmer Earth Even though only a tiny amount of the gases in Earth’s atmosphere are greenhouse gases, they have a huge effect on climate. Sometime during this century, the amount of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is expected to double. Other greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide are increasing as well. The quantity of greenhouse gases is increasing as fossil fuels are burned, releasing the gases and other air pollutants into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases also make their way to the atmosphere from other sources. Farm anima...