For many years, scientists and the media have been alarming that the Earth is threatened by a global catastrophe caused by climate warming. However, many inhabitants of our planet question the findings of scientists and deny global warming on Earth. It is therefore worth emphasizing that scientists agree that the intensification of the greenhouse effect causes global warming of the planet.
However, before we present what the greenhouse effect is, what effects it exacerbates. What is global warming and how to counteract it, we must explain the mistake that is often repeated in thinking about these climatic phenomena. The greenhouse effect is as old as the world.
On planets such as Earth (including Mars and Venus), which have an atmosphere, the greenhouse effect occurs naturally and is responsible for regulating the temperature. On Earth, the greenhouse effect is necessary for the formation of life, thanks to this regulation, the temperature on the surface of our planet rises from plus 20 to a maximum of plus 34 degrees. Without the greenhouse effect, it would still be between minus 18 and minus 27 degrees. Thus, the greenhouse effect itself is a favorable phenomenon, while its intensification is disadvantageous.
Earth Like A Huge Greenhouse
Certainly, you have watched your grandparents or friends who grew plants in a greenhouse more than once. The first thought that comes to mind when you see plants growing quickly in a greenhouse is the warmth that prevails there. But where does it come from? It’s very simple: the sun’s rays enter the greenhouse through the glass. And the soil in which the plants grow absorbs. This energy and heats up more than the soil outside the greenhouse. Some of the solar energy both heats the soil and is reflected from it. And this energy begins to heat the inner walls of the greenhouse.
However, the heat reflected from the soil cannot penetrate the greenhouse roof. So it is reflected back towards the soil, further heating the soil and air inside the greenhouse. Eventually, an energy balance occurs in the greenhouse. The soil absorbs as much heat energy as it releases, and the average temperature is set. Everything works perfectly as long as the balance is not disturbed by, for example, opening the door to the greenhouse. Although this simple example of heating the air in a greenhouse is very different in detail from the true greenhouse effect. The principle of heat exchange in a greenhouse is a good illustration of the greenhouse effect, for which the term “greenhouse effect” has also been used.
Greenhouse Rays
The greenhouse effect works on a global scale somewhat similar to the heating of air in a greenhouse. The atmosphere of the Earth is something like the roof of our exemplary greenhouse. The sun’s rays penetrate the atmosphere towards the Earth’s surface. This energy is then absorbed and partially reflected from the hot Earth’s surface in the form of infrared radiation.
The energy travels upwards, where it meets the “ceiling” of the atmosphere in the form of greenhouse gases. Which partially absorb infrared radiation and reflect energy back to Earth, and partially send that energy into space. If the amount of energy reflected and absorbed is the same. Then we are dealing with equilibrium and the average temperature on Earth is stable.
But would it be enough to dilute the atmosphere. To get rid of this constant reflection of thermal energy towards the Earth? Well, no, because the atmosphere protects the globe from cooling down, and it would happen if most of the heat energy reflected from the Earth’s surface was simply released into outer space. The heat exchange equilibrium would be disturbed. Thus, the greenhouse effect is necessary to maintain the average temperature on Earth.
