| greenhouse effect n. 1. The phenomenon whereby the earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation, caused by the presence in the atmosphere of gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane that allow incoming sunlight to pass through but absorb heat radiated back from the earth's surface. 2. A similar retention of solar radiation, as by another planet or in a solar panel. |   Energy radiated by the sun converts to heat when it reaches earth. Some heat is reflected back through the atmosphere, while some is absorbed by atmospheric gases and radiated back to earth. |
greenhouse effect
Noun
the gradual rise in temperature in the earth's atmosphere due to heat being absorbed from the sun and being trapped by gases such as carbon dioxide in the air around the earth
greenhouse effect (gr n hous ) The retention of part of the Sun's energy in the Earth's atmosphere in the form of heat as a result of the presence of greenhouse gases. Solar energy, mostly in the form of short-wavelength visible radiation, penetrates the atmosphere and is absorbed by the Earth's surface. The heated surface then radiates some of that energy into the atmosphere in the form of longer-wavelength infrared radiation. Although some of this radiation escapes into space, much of it is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere, which in turn re-radiate a portion back to the Earth's surface. The atmosphere thus acts in a manner roughly analagous to the glass in a greenhouse, which allows sunlight to penetrate and warm the plants and soil but which traps most of the resulting heat energy inside. The greenhouse effect is essential to life on Earth; however, the intensification of its effect due to increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is considered to be the main contributing factor to global warming. |  |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  greenhouse effect - warming that results when solar radiation is trapped by the atmosphere; caused by atmospheric gases that allow sunshine to pass through but absorb heat that is radiated back from the warmed surface of the earthatmospheric phenomenon - a physical phenomenon associated with the atmosphere |
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