What is the greenhouse effect and how is it impacted by human activities?
Understand the Problem
The image provides information about the greenhouse effect, its importance for making Earth habitable, the human impact on this effect through activities like burning fossil fuels, and how the greenhouse effect actually functions. It explains the steps involved in the process and lists different greenhouse gases.
Answer
Human activities increase greenhouse gases, enhancing the natural greenhouse effect and causing global warming.
The greenhouse effect is the warming of Earth's surface due to trapped heat by greenhouse gases. Human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation increase greenhouse gas concentrations, enhancing the greenhouse effect and leading to global warming.
Answer for screen readers
The greenhouse effect is the warming of Earth's surface due to trapped heat by greenhouse gases. Human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation increase greenhouse gas concentrations, enhancing the greenhouse effect and leading to global warming.
More Information
The enhanced greenhouse effect is largely due to increased emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases from human activities, leading to more heat being trapped in the atmosphere.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing the natural greenhouse effect with the enhanced effect caused by human actions. The natural greenhouse effect is beneficial, while the enhanced effect leads to climate change.
Sources
- Greenhouse Effect 101 - NRDC - nrdc.org
- Greenhouse gases, facts and information - National Geographic - nationalgeographic.com
- Causes of climate change - European Commission - climate.ec.europa.eu
