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Greenhouse gases absorb infrared electromagnetic radiation. As sunlight (mostly UV and visible light) heats the earth, longer wavelengths are radiated or emitted, i.e infrared light. Infrared active molecules, such as carbon dioxide and methane, absorb infrared light causing these molecules to vibrate. High concentrations of these vibrating molecules in the gaseous atmosphere provides for energy transfer (kinetic) due to vibrational collision. Because temperature is simply a measure of kinetic energy in matter, an increase in vibrational energy of gaseous molecules results in a rise in air temperature. The global result is an increase in measured average ambient temperatures.

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What name is given to gases which trap heat from the sun?

They are generally called Greenhouses gases, as greenhouses trap heat into the glass.


The process by which gases hold heat in the atmosphere is called the what?

The process by which gases hold heat in the atmosphere is called the greenhouse effect. This occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun, leading to an increase in temperature on Earth. Some of the key greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor.


What do greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb?

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb and trap heat energy from the sun. They prevent some of this heat from escaping back into space, contributing to the Earth's warming and the greenhouse effect.


How do atmospheric greenhouse gases help heat the atmosphere?

Atmospheric greenhouse gases trap heat from the sun, preventing it from escaping back into space. This process, known as the greenhouse effect, helps to warm the Earth's atmosphere and surface.


What are green house gases or atmospheric gases?

Atmospheric gases trap heat so that Earth is not a frozen wasteland. Greenhouse gases is the term used to refer to heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane because these gaseous components of the atmosphere make Earth function like a greenhouse-heat from the Sun that is reflected off the Earth is reflected back up to the atmosphere and the greenhouse gases trap some of this heat. Understand that greenhouse gases are necessary to retain some of the Sun's heat, but they are bad in excess; to much carbon dioxide( a greenhouse gas) contributes to global warming-too much heat from the Sun is trapped by the atmosphere so that temperatures on the surface rise.

Related Questions

Is the sun involved in the greenhouse gases?

Yes. The greenhouse gases trap the sun's heat.


What greenhouse effect is?

gases in the atmosphere trap the heat from the sun


What name is given to gases which trap heat from the sun?

They are generally called Greenhouses gases, as greenhouses trap heat into the glass.


What do greenhouses gases trap?

Greenhouse gases trap infrared heat (from the sun) rising from the surface of the earth. More greenhouse gases trap more heat, and this is the situation now. Increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in particular are trapping more heat and causing a global warming.


What is a gas in the atmosphere that traps heat?

Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are gases in the atmosphere that trap heat from the sun, leading to the greenhouse effect and contributing to global warming.


The process by which gases hold heat in the atmosphere is called the what?

The process by which gases hold heat in the atmosphere is called the greenhouse effect. This occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun, leading to an increase in temperature on Earth. Some of the key greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor.


What do greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb?

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb and trap heat energy from the sun. They prevent some of this heat from escaping back into space, contributing to the Earth's warming and the greenhouse effect.


How do atmospheric greenhouse gases help heat the atmosphere?

Atmospheric greenhouse gases trap heat from the sun, preventing it from escaping back into space. This process, known as the greenhouse effect, helps to warm the Earth's atmosphere and surface.


What are green house gases or atmospheric gases?

Atmospheric gases trap heat so that Earth is not a frozen wasteland. Greenhouse gases is the term used to refer to heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide and methane because these gaseous components of the atmosphere make Earth function like a greenhouse-heat from the Sun that is reflected off the Earth is reflected back up to the atmosphere and the greenhouse gases trap some of this heat. Understand that greenhouse gases are necessary to retain some of the Sun's heat, but they are bad in excess; to much carbon dioxide( a greenhouse gas) contributes to global warming-too much heat from the Sun is trapped by the atmosphere so that temperatures on the surface rise.


Gases in the atmosphere trap the sun's warmth?

Greenhouse effect


Name two greenhouse gases in your atmosphere?

two greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and methane


How does an increase in greenhouse gas in the atmosphere contribute to an increase in global temperature?

Greenhouse gases trap heat from the sun in Earth's atmosphere, creating a "greenhouse effect". When the concentration of greenhouse gases increases, more heat is trapped, leading to an increase in global temperature. This phenomenon is a key driver of climate change.