en.wikipedia.org
Greenhouse effect
Atmospheric heat retention
- The greenhouse effect occurs when heat-trapping gases in a planet's atmosphere prevent the planet from losing heat to space, raising its surface temperature.
- Surface heating can happen from an internal heat source or come from an external source, such as a host star.
- In the case of Earth, the Sun emits shortwave radiation (sunlight) that passes through greenhouse gases to heat the Earth's surface.
- In response, the Earth's surface emits longwave radiation that is mostly absorbed by greenhouse gases, reducing the rate at which the Earth can cool off.