Source: EPA Public Domain Image

NATURAL PROCESS:
Gases and clouds absorb infrared
radiation emitted from Earth’s
surface and radiate it in all
directions, heating the
atmosphere and Earth’s surface.
 NATURAL PROCESS:
It’s not all bad – without the
greenhouse effect, Earth’s
average temperature would be
only -18* C!
 NATURAL PROCESS:
Venus experienced a runaway
greenhouse effect, resulting in it’s
average temperature of 462*C –
that’s hot enough to melt lead!
96.5% of Venus’ atmosphere is
carbon dioxide.
Sun
 Sun

Sun

Space
’s E
ner
gy

Atmosphere

Earth’s Surface
Earth’s Water
 Sun

Sun

Space
’s E
ner
gy

Atmosphere Some energy is

absorbed by clouds

Earth’s Surface
Earth’s Water
 Sun

Sun

Space
’s E
ner
gy

Atmosphere Some energy is

absorbed by clouds

Some energy is
absorbed by Earth’s
Earth’s Surface
Earth’s Water surface & water
 Some energy is
immediately
reflected back
Sun into space.

Sun

Space
’s E
ner
gy

Atmosphere Some energy is

absorbed by clouds

Some energy is
absorbed by Earth’s
Earth’s Surface
Earth’s Water surface & water
 Some energy is
immediately
reflected back
Sun into space.

Greenhouse gases in
Sun

Space
the atmosphere absorb
’s E
ner

the radiation and emit it

gy

Atmosphere Some energy is

absorbed by clouds in all directions

Some energy is
absorbed by Earth’s
Earth’s Surface
Earth’s Water surface & water
 Some energy is
immediately Some goes out to space
reflected back
Sun into space.

Greenhouse gases in
Sun

Space
the atmosphere absorb
’s E
ner

the radiation and emit it

gy

Atmosphere Some energy is

absorbed by clouds in all directions

Some energy is
absorbed by Earth’s
Earth’s Surface
Earth’s Water surface & water
 Some energy is
immediately Some goes out to space
reflected back
Sun into space.

Greenhouse gases in
Sun

Space
the atmosphere absorb
’s E
ner

the radiation and emit it

gy

Atmosphere Some energy is

absorbed by clouds in all directions

Some goes back to the Earth

Some energy is
absorbed by Earth’s
Earth’s Surface
Earth’s Water surface & water
 CARBON SINK:
A reservoir that removes carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere and
stores the carbon in a different
form. For example, forests and
oceans.
 The greenhouse effect is the
natural warming of Earth’s surface
and lower atmosphere
• It is caused by infrared
radiation (heat) from the sun
being absorbed and emitted
into the atmosphere
• Heat is absorbed and emitted by greenhouse gases

• Greenhouse gases are called greenhouse gases

because they act as a greenhouse to absorb and
trap heat from the sun
Greenhouse gases trap infrared energy from the sun and
reemit this energy as heat into the atmosphere.
1. Solar radiation enters Earth’s atmosphere as heat energy
2. Earth’s surface absorbs and reflects solar energy
3. Energy is reradiated back into the atmosphere
4. Some energy is released back into space
5. The remaining energy is trapped in the
atmosphere by greenhouse gases. This
causes the global temperatures to rise.