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Greenhouse Gases Definition

Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that absorb infrared radiation. For example, carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor.

View Lesson on Intro to Climate Change
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Intro to Climate Change

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Greenhouse gases trap thermal energy similar to how the glass in greenhouses that farmers use to grow plants traps sunlight.
  • Moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources can help decrease the amount of greenhouse gases humans put into the air.
  • 97% of climate researchers agree that the increase in global temperatures is caused by increased greenhouse gases from human activity.

Why Do We Need To Know About Greenhouse Gases

Learning about greenhouse gases helps us understand their role in climate change and why it’s important to use less fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases are natural but have increased a lot because of people using fossil fuels for energy. This has caused global warming and climate change, so we need to find cleaner energy sources.

Scientists and engineers are working on new energy ideas like making fuel from plants, making nuclear power safer, and making solar panels more efficient. These projects aim to lower the gases that cause climate change by using cleaner energy. This shows how creating new technologies is key to fighting climate change and offers many jobs in science fields.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do we know that climate has changed over time?
Records of temperatures, examining tree rings, and studying ice cores from glaciers are some ways scientists have used to compare today’s climate with climates of the past.
What are some possible reasons that might cause the climate to change?
Changes in the amount of energy from the Sun reaching Earth, an increase in volcanic eruptions, changes in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the sun’s heat being reflected back from the surface.
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