Greenhouse Effect | Introduction
Introduction
In 1827, a French mathematician named Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Fourier came up with an interesting theory. He said Earth's atmosphereLayers of air that surround Earth. protected its inhabitants against the freezing temperatures of space. Fourier pointed out that Earth's atmosphere acted as an insulatorA Material That Is A Poor Conductor Of Heat Or Electricity., an effect similar to what happens when heat is trapped within the glass walls and roof of a greenhouse. He called his theory the greenhouse effectThe warming of Earth's atmosphere due to water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases in the atmosphere that trap heat radiated from Earth's surface..
Today we know that the greenhouse effect takes place when sunlight passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by land and water. The energy in the sunlight is converted to heat energy to warm the surface of Earth. Some of this heat energy is re-radiated out into the atmosphere in the form of infrared radiationElectromagnetic Radiation Of A Wavelength Shorter Than Radio Waves But Longer Than Visible Light That Takes The Form Of Heat.. The infrared radiation has a longer wavelength than the sunlight and is absorbed by certain gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide. This traps the heat, keeping Earth's surface warm. The greenhouse effect is actually a good thing. Without it, we would experience an average temperature of −2.2°F (−19°C), and we would all freeze.