Do greenhouse gases trap heat

Answer 1

The simple answer is that Earth is like a greenhouse/glasshouse. It is also like a car on a cold but sunny day. (Most people would know what it's like to get into a car that's been standing in the Sun on a cold day.) Light (and similar radiation) can penetrate glass. When the light reaches surfaces inside the car it is converted into different radiation - especially heat. This heat energy cannot easily penetrate the glass. In other words, glass is transparent to light but not to the heat that the light is changed to. The atmosphere works like the car's windows - letting some wavelengths through but not others.

Answer 2

Yes, this is true.

A:All the gases in the atmosphere act as an insulating blanket to keep heat from radiating into space. In this sense the greenhouse gases like all the gases in the atmosphere keep the Earth warmer.

The role of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is special. Many interpret this as that these gases form a layer "up there" that reflects the heat back to earth. In reality this layer does not exist.

The greenhouse gases are built in a manner that the atomic bonds in their molecules absorb energy from the sun more readily. This warms them up. Once warmed, they share their heat with other air molecules which aren't greenhouse gases. The warm gases share their heat with the soil and water.

Answer 3

Solar radiation reaches the earth in the form of ultraviolet light, which passes through greenhouse gases to warm the surface of the earth. This warm surface emits heat in the form of ultraviolet rays, which are absorbed by greenhouse gases.

Answer 4

Yes, they trap heat that has been reflected off the earth and prevent it escaping out to space.

Answer 5

In a sense Yes; the incident Solar radiation upon Earth is not re-radiated {or reflected} back out into Space.

Answer 6

True.