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GCSE Physics · key term
The warming caused when gases in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiation emitted by the Earth and re-emit it in different directions, including back towards the surface.
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Specification 5.18P · Paper 1
Revise: Earth's TemperatureGreenhouse gases, including water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane, absorb some of the infrared radiation emitted by the surface. They re-emit radiation in different directions: some travels towards space and some returns towards the surface. This natural greenhouse effect makes the surface warmer than it would be without those gases.
Specification P8.3h · Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 4 (Higher)
The warming effect produced when gases in an atmosphere absorb infrared radiation emitted by a planet’s surface and emit some of it back towards the surface.
Paper 1, Paper 2
The natural process in which atmospheric gases absorb and re-emit some of the infrared radiation emitted by Earth, keeping its surface warmer than it would otherwise be.
Revise: Climate change and evidenceConsequently, less energy escapes directly to space and the surface is warmer than it would be without these gases. This natural process is the greenhouse effect.
Distinguish the atmosphere’s effect on incoming sunlight from the greenhouse effect on outgoing infrared radiation.
When explaining the greenhouse effect, distinguish the incoming radiation from the hotter Sun from the lower-frequency infrared radiation emitted by the cooler Earth.
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