The effect in which gases in the atmosphere convert absorbed radiation into heat?

Answer 1

Although the transfer from warm objects like the surface of the earth when exposed to sunlight can be done by radiation or by conduction (and the subsequent movement of the warmer molecules by the increased buoyancy of the warm gas), the heat generally transferred between gases has as its the principle process the direct collision of the warmer molecules with the cooler ones. This heat transfer by conduction involves transfer of energy within a material without any motion of the material as a whole and depends upon the temperature gradient and the thermal conductivity of the material.

Gases transfer heat by direct collisions between molecules, is low compared to mostt solids or liquids. The process is similar to diffusion of higher concentrations of a solue in a solvent

In the case of molecules which are directly warmed by the adsorption of sunlight, the extra energy is absorbed by the bonds between the atoms in the gases. The heat is then exchanged with other gases by the transfer to other molecules as the bonds "relax" to lower energy states.

Answer 2

This is the greenhouse effect. Gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and methane, absorb outgoing infrared radiation from the Earth's surface and re-emit it in all directions, including back towards the surface. This process traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.