Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse Effect
Light from the sun is energy. It is made up of a spectrum of electromagnetic waves.
Greenhouse Effect
When this light falls on an object some of it is reflected.
Greenhouse effect
Some of the light is absorbed.
Different materials absorb different parts of the spectrum of light.
Greenhouse Effect
When a ray of light hits a pane of glass in a green house at a steep angle it will pass through.
Greenhouse Effect
Some of the light hitting the green house glass will be at a shallow angle and is reflected back onto surfaces inside the green house again.
Greenhouse Effect
Some of the light hitting the green house glass will be at a shallow angle and is reflected back onto surfaces inside the green house again.
Greenhouse Effect
This means more of this light is absorbed and converted to heat.
Greenhouse Effect
Space is very cold. The Earth’s surface is warmed by light from the Sun.
Greenhouse Effect
Something must be enabling the earth to keep more of the energy from the sunlight.
Greenhouse Effect
The Earth is not contained in a green house. Scientists use the term Green house effect to explain how the process works.
Greenhouse Effect
Green house gasses (GHG) allow most parts of sunlight to pass through them.
Greenhouse Effect
When sun light shines on the Earth some of it is reflected as infra red light.
Greenhouse Effect
GHG reflect infra red parts of the spectrum back towards the Earth. They enable the Earth’s atmosphere to trap enough warmth to sustain life.
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is the green house gas you may have heard of. It is part of the natural carbon cycle.
Carbon dioxide
We are also releasing huge amounts of it which would have remained locked away when we burn fossil fuels.
Other green house gases
Other green house gases include methane, nitrous oxide and water vapour.
Climate Change
The world’s average temperature is warming. The evidence indicates that this is because of manmade GHG. Scientists believe this will cause our climate to become more unstable.