Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse Effect Simple video animation Water vapor - the concentration of this gas is largely controlled by the temperature of the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide - a good absorber of energy (infrared radiation) and the most common gas produced by human activities. Methane - 30 times stronger than carbon dioxide as an absorber of infrared radiation. However, it is present in smaller concentrations. Nitrous oxide - a relatively long-lived gas that has increased in atmospheric concentration due mainly to agriculture. Ozone - a highly reactive gas, both a natural and a man-made product. Halocarbons - composed of carbon, chlorine, fluorine, hydrogen, and chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs. CFC gases can absorb more infrared radiation than any other greenhouse gas. 1. The Sun’s heat enters the atmosphere as SOLAR RADIATION. 2. About half of the heat is reflected or absorbed by clouds and the atmosphere. 3. The rest reaches the Earth, where it absorbs by oceans and land. 4. The Earth also release...