The 'Greenhouse Effect

One of the most interesting concepts bought up in class was the Greenhouse Effect. I found some nice slides explaining the Greenhouse effect, that I will use with my students.


The 'Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is a natural occurrence that maintains Earth's average temperature at approximately 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
The greenhouse effect is a necessary phenomenon that keeps all Earth's heat from escaping to the outer atmosphere. Without the natural greenhouse effect it is certain that we would all be lost. Temperatures on Earth would be much lower than they are now, and the existence of life on this planet would not be possible. The global average temperature would drop precipitously 33 degrees from its current 15° to -18°C. The Earth would become an ice planet.
However, too many greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere could increase the greenhouse effect. This could result in an increase in mean global temperatures as well as changes in precipitation patterns.
The Earth's atmosphere, a thin blanket of gases, protects the planet from the harshest of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. The atmosphere, by trapping the Earth's warmth, keeps rivers and oceans from freezing. Carbon dioxide and water vapor are the most important gases in creating the insulating or "greenhouse effect" of the atmosphere.