Answer:
Carbon dioxide and water vapor are two important greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. They can absorb and re-emit infrared radiation, which is the primary way in which heat energy is transferred between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere. This property allows them to trap some of the outgoing long-wave radiation that is emitted by the Earth's surface, leading to an increase in the amount of energy in the atmosphere and causing the Earth's temperature to rise.
Both carbon dioxide and water vapor have specific wavelengths of infrared radiation that they can absorb and re-emit. Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared radiation primarily in the wavelengths between 13 and 17 micrometers, while water vapor absorbs radiation in a broader range of wavelengths, including those between 5 and 7 micrometers and between 20 and 50 micrometers.
The amount of infrared radiation that is absorbed by greenhouse gases is proportional to their concentration in the atmosphere. Therefore, as the concentration of carbon dioxide and water vapor in the atmosphere increases, the amount of infrared radiation that is absorbed also increases, leading to a greater warming effect.
This phenomenon is known as the greenhouse effect, and it is a natural process that helps to regulate the Earth's temperature. However, human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, leading to an enhanced greenhouse effect and causing the Earth's temperature to rise at an accelerated rate.