The
issue of global warming is all too much an emotional issue that is
decided by political alignments. Even some of those who vehemently decry
burning fossil fuels because they increase carbon dioxide levels don't
understand the 8th grade Earth Science behind it. Even fewer of the
'naysayers' do.
Short definition:
Earth transforms sunlight's visible light energy into infrared
light
energy, which leaves Earth slowly because it is absorbed by greenhouse
gases. As greenhouse gases increase, this radiant energy escapes more
slowly. This raises the Earth's overall temperature.
Longer definition:
Short video:
The Greenhouse Effect:
"The exchange of incoming and outgoing radiation that warms the Earth is often
referred to as the greenhouse effect because a greenhouse works in much the same way.
"Incoming
UV radiation easily passes through the glass walls of a greenhouse and
is absorbed by the plants and hard surfaces inside. Weaker IR radiation,
however, has difficulty passing through the glass walls and is trapped
inside, thus warming the greenhouse. This effect lets tropical plants
thrive inside a greenhouse, even during a cold winter.
"A
similar phenomenon takes place in a car parked outside on a cold, sunny
day. Incoming solar radiation warms the car's interior, but outgoing
thermal radiation is trapped inside the car's closed windows."