GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the

Earth’s surface. When the Sun’s energy reaches the Earth’s
atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is
absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gases include water vapour, carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and some artificial chemicals
such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
The absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the surface of
the Earth. This process maintains the Earth’s temperature at
around 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it would otherwise be,
allowing life on Earth to exist.
The ‘Greenhouse Effect’ is defined as the increase in Earth’s
surface temperature caused by the trapping of atmospheric heat.
This makes the earth’s temperature warmer than it actually
would, than getting warmer directly by the sun. Some of the heat
gets absorbed into the atmosphere and is bounced back into
space when sunlight reaches the earth. Now, this heat is
redirected back towards the Earth when greenhouse gases such
as carbon dioxide and methane that are present in the
atmosphere absorb this heat.
In 1827, Joseph Fourier discovered the greenhouse effect which
was experimentally verified in 1861 by John Tyndall and in
1896 was quantified by Svante Arrhenius.
Mechanism of the Greenhouse Effect
Sun gives out UV, infrared and visible radiation gets received by
the earth. The incoming solar energy from the sun is redirected
back towards space by the atmosphere and clouds and then some
of the solar energy gets absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds.
And the remaining energy gets absorbed by the Earth’s surface
making it warm.This energy then gets converted into heat.
Now once this heat gets absorbed by the earth’s surface, it is
trapped in the earth’s atmosphere and thereby adding to increase
the earth’s temperature. This effect is what we call the
‘Greenhouse Effect’.
Therefore, if the amount of greenhouse gases present in the
earth’s atmosphere is high then the earth’s temperature too will
keep getting higher; which is what has been happening lately
adding to the greenhouse effect and warming up earth than it
already is.
Extreme weather conditions, global warming, and rise in sea
levels are the results of the greenhouse effect.
Causes of the Greenhouse Effect
1. Burning of Fossil Fuels: Fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural
gas have become an integral part of our life. They are used on
large basis to produce electricity and for transportation. When
they are burnt, the carbon stored inside them is released
which combines with oxygen in the air to create carbon dioxide.
With the increase in the population, the number of vehicles have
also increased and this has resulted in increase in the pollution in
the atmosphere. When these vehicles run, they release carbon
dioxide, which is one the main gas responsible for increase in
greenhouse effect.
Apart from that, electricity-related emissions are high because
we are still dependent on coal for electricity generation which
releases large amount of CO2 into the atmosphere and is still the
primary source of fuel for generating electricity.
Deforestation, Increase in Population, Farming, Industrial
Waste and Landfills
Water vapor. The most abundant greenhouse gas, but
importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. Water vapor
increases as the Earth's atmosphere warms, but so does the
possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the
most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.
Carbon dioxide (CO2). A minor but very important component
of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is released through natural
processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through
human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and
burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric CO2
concentration by more than a third since the Industrial
Revolution began. This is the most important long-lived
"forcing" of climate change.
Nitrous oxide. A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil
cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and
organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid
production, and biomass burning.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Synthetic compounds entirely
of industrial origin used in a number of applications, but now
largely regulated in production and release to the atmosphere
by international agreement for their ability to contribute to
destruction of the ozone layer. They are also greenhouse
gases.