The Greenhouse Effect in Layman’s Terms
December 12, 2007 by marquetteturner
Filed under Facts, Global
The science of how the Earth is warmed is relatively straight-forward.
Energy and light from sun go through the Earth’s atmosphere and strike its surface, which warms the planet.
The Earth emits the energy, but it is trapped in the atmosphere by naturally occurring greenhouse gases — like water vapor and carbon dioxide — which help maintain a warm, comfortable temperature for life to exist.
The earth’s temperature is generally about 60 degrees Fahrenheit (about 16 degrees Celsius).
Without the naturally occurring greenhouse gases, the temperature would plunge to about 0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 degrees Celsius).