BRAINCAKEGreenhouse Effect
The Sun emits radiation, mainly visible and ultraviolet, which passes through the atmosphere and warms the Earth's surface. The warm Earth then emits infrared radiation.
Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane, absorb this infrared radiation. The energy makes their bonds vibrate more, and they then re-emit infrared in all directions, including back towards the Earth. This is the greenhouse effect.
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More in Alkanes
- Combustion
- Polluting the Atmosphere
- Flue Gas Desulfurisation
- Catalytic Converters
- Carbon Neutral Activities
- Free-Radical Substitution
- Further Substitution
- Ozone Layer
All 20 lessons in Alkanes · All AQA AS-level Chemistry topics