Green Glossary
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Greenhouse effect
The phenomenon whereby the Earth's atmosphere traps solar radiation because of the presence of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane is called the greenhouse effect. In this process, short-wave incoming radiation passes readily through the Earth's atmosphere to surface areas. Longer-wave outgoing radiation, however, is absorbed and reradiated by water vapor, droplets, and carbon dioxide, which results in more heat being retained in the atmosphere. Without this phenomenon, the Earth would be uninhabitable by humans because the temperature would be too low.
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