From the cosmic viewpoint, the fact that Earth has an average surface temperature suitable for our sort of life (to maintain liquid water), cannot be explained by simply suggesting that our planet orbits at just the right distance from the sun. Our moderate temperatures are also the result of having just the right kind of atmosphere.
The Greenhouse Effect
The natural greenhouse effect is a phenomenon created by the heat energy radiated by the sun and greenhouse gases normally present in the atmosphere. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere, warming the Earth then the Earth radiates this energy back towards space. As it passes through the atmosphere, greenhouse gases absorb part of the energy, while the remainder escapes into space. This means that some of the sun’s energy becomes trapped making the lower part of the atmosphere, and Earth, warmer.
The Earth has managed to regulate concentrations of greenhouse gases over millions of years. As long as the amount of greenhouse gases in the air stays the same, and as long as the amount of heat arriving from the sun is constant, an equilibrium is established. In equilibrium, the natural greenhouse effect maintains the average temperature of Earth at around 14°C. Many scientists think that the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases has led to an increase in the world’s average temperature. An increase in global temperature would bring changes to the entire planet. This makes it an international issue which needs worldwide response.
Solar energy technologies reduce needs for burning fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.
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REFERENCES:
1) http://www.science.org.au/nova/016/016key.htm
2) http://www.climatechange.gov.au
3) http://www.grida.no/climate/vitalafrica/english/09.htm
4) http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/greenhouse/
5) http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7h.html
6) http://www.world-builders.org/lessons/less/les3/planettemps.html
IMAGES:
Name- The green house effect
Source- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_green_house_effect.svg
Author- ZooFari
Licensing- Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
