Tag: heat and energy

Process of warming of planet's surface and its lower atmosphere by the absorption of infrared radiations of long wavelength given out from the surface of a planet is known as green house effect.  In 1824, Joseph Fourier discovered the green house effect. The earth's transparent for the infrared radiations of short wavelengths coming from the sun. The high energy radiations such as X rays, gamma rays, UV rays are absorbed by the ozone layer while the low energy radiations namely infrared radiations of long wavelength and radio waves are reflected back into the space.

Since greenhouse gases trap heat rays (infrared rays) which due to irradiation keeps the earth warm.

Process of warming of planet's surface and its  lower atmosphere by the absorption of infrared radiations of long wavelength given out from the surface of a planet is known as green house effect. In 1824, Joseph Fourier discovered the green house effect.

They trap the heat rays because they have certain properties which are either enhanced or reduced due to heat.Capturing infrared rays is a characteristic properties of greenhouse gases.

The greenhouse effect itself occurs when short-wave solar radiation (which is not impeded by the greenhouse gases) heats the surface of the Earth, and the energy is radiated back through the Earth's atmosphere as heat, with a longer wavelength. In the wavelengths 5-30m a lot of this thermal radiation is absorbed by water vapour and carbon dioxide, which in turn radiate it, thus heating the atmosphere and land and ocean surface. This is natural and what keeps the Earth habitable.

Without the greenhouse effect overnight temperatures would plunge and the average surface temperature would be about minus 18C, about the same as on the moon, which lacks the shroud of our atmosphere.
Thus Option A is correct.

Methaneemitted from landfills, coal mines, oil/gas operations, and agricultural livestockaccounted for 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Trichlorofluoromethane is a type of fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbons were not present in the atmosphere before 1750. Today trichlorofluoromethane is present in the atmosphere at 242 to 244 parts per trillion (ppt).

Electricity production accounted for 31 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2013, followed by transportation at 27 percent.

Vegetation and the oceans absorb somebut not all $CO _2$ emissions. Power plants can use carbon capture and sequestration technology to reduce emissions.

All the gases which has the properties that may be influenced by heat rays,has the capability to absorb infrared rays and hence act as greenhouse gases.