If you look around the internet you will find loads of different definitions of the greenhouse effect and some may seem conflicting to others. It is a subject that causes much debate and by and large triggers a lot of different opinions. However, this greenhouse effect definition should in very simple and easy to understand terms answer this question for you as factually as possible.
The greenhouse effect is what happens when gases in the earth's atmosphere trap solar radiation (heat from the sun) when it is reflected back from the earth.
When the solar radiation comes from the sun these gases allows it to pass through and it will then heat the earth's surface. However, some of this heat is radiated back and should naturally pass back through the gases and into space keeping the earth at a sustainable temperature. However, as the gases in question, which are known as greenhouses gases, trap some of the heat the earth becomes warmer and this is what the greenhouse effect is.
In a one line sentence the greenhouse effect is the result of infrared light not being able to transmit back through the atmosphere into space after it has been radiated to the earth from the sun.
So why is it called 'the greenhouse effect'? Well that this is of course another valid question and just in case our greenhouse effect definition has not made this obvious we will now make this clear. We all know what greenhouses are right? A house made of glass where sunlight comes in to create a warm atmosphere for something to grow. The glass allows the sunlight to pass through and heat the soil and the plants inside it but the heat that is reflected is retained in the atmosphere inside the greenhouse instead of passing back out through the glass, it is trapped. This is a common comparison that is made when people ask 'what is the green house effect?'.
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