Greenhouse Effect

The Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that helps keep Earth warm enough to support life. When sunlight reaches the Earth’s surface, it is absorbed and then re-radiated as heat. Certain gases in the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, trap some of...

Have you ever stepped into a car on a sunny day and felt the heat trapped inside? That's similar to what happens on Earth due to the greenhouse effect.

The Sun's energy warms Earth's surface, and some of that heat rises back into the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, absorb some o...