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Why do greenhouse gases warm the atmosphere but other gases do not?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Greenhouse gases don't "warm the atmosphere". What they do is trap heat.
Why is because that's the definition of "greenhouse gas". Okay, a little more detail: they're transparent to high frequency radiation (visible light and UV) but largely opaque to lower frequency radiation (like IR). So energy in the form of visible light gets to the surface just fine, but when it's time to reradiate it as heat, greenhouse gases block the emission of the lower frequency IR "heat" radiation.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
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Why is it incorrect to say that greenhouse gases cause global warming?
It is not incorrect, Greenhouse gases are Methane and Carbon Dioxide and their increasing presence in Earth's atmosphere is causing the temperature of the atmosphere to rize (warm).
What two things keep your atmosphere warm?
The natural greenhouse effect, helped by greenhouse gases and the carbon and water cycles of the earth keep the atmosphere warm. Greenhouse gases keep back some of the sun's heat so it doesn't radiate back out to space. This has kept the earth warm for millions of years.
What happens to greenhouse gases at natural levels in the atmosphere?
At natural levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (before the Industrial Revolution), the carbon cycle moved carbon dioxide in and out of land, sea and air. Enough carbon dioxide remained in the atmosphere to keep the earth comfortably warm, warm enough for life.
What is the ability of the Earths atmosphere to trap heat and keep us warm?
The greenhouse effect (greenhouse gases capture heat radiating up from the earth).
What are two main greenhouse gases that keep the planets atmosphere warm and livable?
Water vapor and carbon dioxide.
How do greenhouse gases affect the earths atmosphere?
They slow the loss of heat
Why do you need greenhouses?
Greenhouse gases are needed to keep the planet warm. If it was not for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the earth would be like the moon, warm during the day and frozen at night.
What do gases affect?
Greenhouse gases affect the temperature of the atmosphere. They capture the sun's heat and warm the planet.
What are some effects of the greenhouse effect?
There is a greenhouse effect on Earth because three-atomed gases in the atmosphere retain heat and ensure that the earth stays warm. Other examples of a greenhouse effect are the atmospheres of Venus and Mars. Mercury has an atmosphere but has no greenhouse effect, as the main gases (hydrogen, helium and oxygen) are not greenhouse gases. So Mercury is a non-example of the greenhouse effect. The moon is also a non-example, as it has no atmosphere at all.
What causes earth surface to get warm?
Sunlight. The warmth rises into the atmosphere where some is trapped by greenhouse gases. These warm gases then warm the earth's surface again.
What do greenhouse gases reflect?
Greenhouse gases don't reflect anything. They absorb energy from incoming sunlight and warm up. The warm gas molecules then share the heat with all other molecules in the atmosphere. Many people think there is a layer of greenhouse gas "up there" that reflects the heat back to Earth. This is not the case, The gases are mixed all through the atmosphere, not concentrated in a layer.
Why is it incorrect to say that greenhouse gases cause global warming?
It is not incorrect, Greenhouse gases are Methane and Carbon Dioxide and their increasing presence in Earth's atmosphere is causing the temperature of the atmosphere to rize (warm).
What two things keep your atmosphere warm?
The natural greenhouse effect, helped by greenhouse gases and the carbon and water cycles of the earth keep the atmosphere warm. Greenhouse gases keep back some of the sun's heat so it doesn't radiate back out to space. This has kept the earth warm for millions of years.
What are the functions and actions of greenhouse gases?
To trap heat. The functions of greenhouse gases are to absorb heat from sunlight and trap it in the atmosphere to warm the Earth and melt the ice caps.
What are some non-examples of the greenhouse effect?
There is a greenhouse effect on Earth because three-atomed gases in the atmosphere retain heat and ensure that the earth stays warm. Other examples of a greenhouse effect are the atmospheres of Venus and Mars. Mercury has an atmosphere but has no greenhouse effect, as the main gases (hydrogen, helium and oxygen) are not greenhouse gases. So Mercury is a non-example of the greenhouse effect. The moon is also a non-example, as it has no atmosphere at all.
How does the atmosphere keep the earth warm?
The natural greenhouse effect, helped by greenhouse gases and the carbon and water cycles of the earth keep the atmosphere warm. Greenhouse gases keep back some of the sun's heat so it doesn't radiate back out to space. This has kept the earth warm for millions of years.
How does the greenhouse effect affect the air temperature?
The greenhouse effect keeps the air and earth warm enough for life.The sun's energy warms the earth.Infrared heat rises from the surface of the earth into the atmosphere where it is trapped by greenhouse gases causing the greenhouse effect.The warm greenhouse gases in turn warm the surrounding atmosphere, and some of this heat goes back down to earth, where it adds more warmth to the earth's surface.
