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Greenhouse Effect
Date Submitted: 12/13/2000 17:05:52
The greenhouse effect, in environmental science, is a popular term for the
effect that certain variable constituents of the Earth's lower atmosphere have on
surface temperatures. These gases--water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and
methane (CH4)--keep ground temperatures at a global average of about 15 degrees
C (60 degrees F). Without them the average would be below the freezing point of
H20. The gases have this effect because as incoming solar radiation strikes the
surface,
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CFCs). CFCs attack the ozone layer and
contribute thereby to the greenhouse effect, because the ozone layer protects the
growth of ocean phytoplankton. would probably also increase, because warm air
can contain more water than can cooler air. This process might go on indefinitely.
On the other hand, reverse processes could develop such as increased cloud cover
and increased absorption of CO2 by phytoplankton in the ocean. These would act
as natural feedbacks, lowering temperatures.
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