The Greenhouse Effect

The Greenhouse Effect

• The temperature of the earth is a balance between the heat from the sun and the heat radiated back into space
• Gases in the atmosphere naturally act like an insulating layer; they absorb the heat that would be radiated into space and re-radiate it in all directions, including back to earth
• If this didn't happen then at night it would be extremely cold
• There are several different gases that help keep the heat in (called greenhouse gases), the main ones…