Chapter 2 part B

Question 1

What is the main reason greenhouses hot?

Answer 1

Greenhouses are hot mainly because heat is trapped by the lid at the top (no convection to atmosphere above)

Question 2

How does solar radiation affect the temperature in greenhouses?

Answer 2

Solar radiation absorbed but heat is unable to “vent” upward (no convection to atmosphere above)

Question 3

Greenhouse VS Atmospheric greenhouse effect

Question 4

Why are “greenhouse” gasses considered selective absorber?

Answer 4

“Greenhouse” gases are generally poor shortwave absorbers but good longwave (infrared light) absorbers

Question 5

Where does O3 absorb best?

Answer 5

O3 absorbs best in UV
(Ozone “layer” in stratosphere)

Question 6

How is IR radiation able to escape to space?

Answer 6

Two “atmospheric windows” between 8 –13 μm

Question 7

Why are certain substances greenhouse gases and others are not (ex: molecular oxygen (O2) and nitrogen (N2))?

Answer 7

Molecular properties of tri-and multi-atomic gases allows for stretching and bending vibrations in the “right” wavelength range for infrared (longwave) absorption
(ex: H20)