Green House Effect

Natural and Amplified Warming


Natural Warming

The greenhouse effect is a natural warming process. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and certain other gases are always present in the atmosphere. These gases create a warming effect that has some similarity to the warming inside a greenhouse, hence the name “greenhouse effect.”

Amplified Warming

Increasing the amount of greenhouse gases intensifies the greenhouse effect. Higher concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases trap more infrared energy in the atmosphere than occurs naturally. The additional heat further warms the atmosphere and Earth’s surface.



1.Sunlight brings energy into the climate system; most of it is absorbed by the oceans and land.

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT:

2.Heat (infrared energy) radiates outward from the warmed surface of the Earth.
3.Some of the infrared energy is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which re-emit the energy in all directions.
4.Some of the infrared energy further warms the Earth.
5.Some of the infrared energy is emitted into space.

AMPLIFIED GREENHOUSE EFFECT:

6.Higher concentrations of CO2 and other "greenhouse" gases trap more infrared energy in the atmosphere than occurs naturally. The additional heat further warms the atmosphere and Earth’s surface.