Greenhouse Effect

Beth K.
22 words 564 learners

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  1. greenhouse effect
    warming due to solar radiation trapped by the atmosphere
    The greenhouse effect is the retention by Earth's atmosphere in the form of heat some of the energy that arrives from the sun as light.
  2. CO2
    a colorless, odorless greenhouse gas essential for photosynthesis
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  3. wavelength
    a way of thinking or coming to mutual understanding
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  4. greenhouse gas
    a substance in the air that warms a planet by trapping heat
    The greenhouse effect is mostly a natural phenomenon, but its intensity, according to a majority of climatologists, may be increasing because of increasing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
  5. methane
    a colorless, odorless gas used as a fuel
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  6. infrared
    having or employing wavelengths longer than light but shorter than radio waves; lying outside the visible spectrum at its red end
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  7. atmospheric
    relating to or located in the mass of air surrounding Earth
    The greenhouse effect is mostly a natural phenomenon, but its intensity, according to a majority of climatologists, may be increasing because of increasing atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.
  8. cellulose
    a polysaccharide that is the chief constituent of all plant tissues and fibers
    These increased concentrations are occurring because of human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests (which removes CO2 from the atmosphere and store its carbon in cellulose.
  9. sea level
    level of the ocean's surface
    This in turn would result in important secondary changes, such as a rise in sea level and variations in the patterns of precipitation.
  10. atmosphere
    the envelope of gases surrounding any celestial body
    The greenhouse effect is the retention by Earth's atmosphere in the form of heat some of the energy that arrives from the sun as light.
  11. carbon dioxide
    a colorless, odorless greenhouse gas essential for photosynthesis
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  12. radiate
    send out rays or waves
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  13. retention
    the act of keeping something
    The greenhouse effect is the retention by Earth's atmosphere in the form of heat some of the energy that arrives from the sun as light.
  14. precipitation
    the falling to earth of any form of water
    This in turn would result in important secondary changes, such as a rise in sea level and variations in the patterns of precipitation.
  15. dioxide
    an oxide containing two atoms of oxygen in the molecule
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  16. carbon
    an abundant nonmetallic element in all organic compounds
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  17. radiation
    the act of spreading outward from a central source
    Certain gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are transparent to most of the wavelengths of light arriving from the sun but are relatively opaque to infrared or heat radiation; thus, energy passes through the Earth's atmosphere on arrival, is converted to heat by absorption at the surface and in the atmosphere, and is not easily re-radiated into space.
  18. fossil
    the remains of a plant or animal from a past geological age
    These increased concentrations are occurring because of human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests (which removes CO2 from the atmosphere and store its carbon in cellulose.
  19. solar
    relating to the sun or utilizing the energies of the sun
    The same process is used to heat a solar greenhouse, only with glass, rather than gas, as the heat-trapping material.
  20. temperature
    the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment
    The greenhouse effects happens to maintain Earth's surface temperature within a range comfortable for living things; without it, the Earth's surface would be much colder.
  21. scientist
    a person with advanced knowledge of empirical fields
    Some scientists contend that this human-related atmospheric warming is already occurring and is accelerating.
  22. human
    a person; a hominid with a large brain and articulate speech
    These increased concentrations are occurring because of human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels and the clearing of forests (which removes CO2 from the atmosphere and store its carbon in cellulose.
Created on Thu Oct 07 23:39:07 EDT 2010

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