Author Question: Briefly describe how the greenhouse effect makes a planetary surface warmer than it would be ... (Read 98 times)

bcretired · **on:** Jul 27, 2018

Briefly describe how the greenhouse effect makes a planetary surface warmer than it would be otherwise.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

On a scale in which the distance from Earth to the Sun is about 15 meters, the distance from Earth to the Moon is

A) small enough to fit within your hand.
B) about 1 meter.
C) about 5 meters.
D) about 30 meters.

TheDev123 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 27, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Sunlight that is not absorbed by the atmosphere, such as visible light on Earth and visible and ultraviolet light on other planets, passes through to the surface of the planet, heating it. The planet then emits infrared radiation, depending on its surface temperature. Carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb some of this infrared radiation. These gases in turn warm up and emit infrared thermal radiation in all directions. Some of this radiation is directed back down toward the surface, making the surface warmer than it would be from absorbing visible sunlight alone.

Answer to Question 2

A