the atmosphere - the greenhouse effect

Question 1

what does the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere depend on?

Answer 1

temperature

Question 2

examples of greenhouse gases

Answer 2

water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane

Question 3

what does energy from the sun to the earth travel as?

Answer 3

short wavelength radiation eg ultraviolet and visible light

Question 4

what can happen to some of the short wavelength radiation (from sun earth)?

Answer 4

reflects back into space but most of it passes easily through the atmosphere. this is because shirt wavelength radiation does not interact strongly with gas molecules in the atmosphere to

Question 5

what happens to the energy when it reaches the surface of the earth?

Answer 5

it is absorbed. so the surface of earth now radiates the energy as long wavelength radiation such as infra-red

Question 6

what does some of the long wavelength radiation interact with when radiating off earth’s surface?

Answer 6

it interacts with the greenhouse gas molecules in the atmosphere. energy in long wavelength is absorbed. because if this, energy is trapped in the atmosphere causing temp of atmosphere to increase.

Question 7

what is the effect of the greenhouse effect on earth?

Answer 7

keeps the temperature in earth warm enough to support life. without it, earth would be too cold for most living organisms to survive