What is Greenhouse Effect?

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Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse Effect is the result when harmful gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide (N20), andozone, and fluorinated gases are trapped in the earth’s surface, causing temperature to rise. When the greenhouse gases are ensnared in the atmosphere, it allows the sun’s short wavelength radiation to get through the earth, therefore causing global warming. The more greenhouse gases are trapped in the atmosphere, the more prone it is to cause depletion in the sun’s ozone layer. The larger the holes therein, the warmer the earth becomes.

Greenhouse effect is often mistaken as global warming. Global warming is just the result of greenhouse effect. Without greenhouse effect, scientist reckon the average temperature of the earth would be as low as –18˚C (–0.4˚F).

Greenhouse gases basically came from natural resources such as the evaporation of water vapor from inland waters. Plants and animals also contribute to greenhouse effects through respiration. Human activities such as burning charcoal in factories, heating water, and all other activities involving the use of heat energy contribute to the formation of CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbon monoxide from trucks, trains, and plains also adds up to the devastating array of harmful gasses in the earth’s surface. Ponds and swamps also produce methane. Nitrous oxide can come from certain processes in in-ground waters and soil. The periodic activity of volcano also adds up to the greenhouse gases.

The original concept of greenhouse effect is traced back to 1824 by the name of Joseph Fourier. In his experiment, he used a glass and allowed the sun’s radiation to penetrate inside. As the sunrays passed through, the surface of the glass turned warm causing heat to penetrate deeper into the bottom. The glass was used to signify the earth, the barrier to separate the cooler air outside and the warmer air inside.

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