Question

Greenhouse gases absorb____radiation emitted by the earth and emit ____ radiation in ____.

a) Ultraviolet; infrared; the stratosphere

b) Infrared; ultraviolet; the troposphere

c) Infrared; ultraviolet; the stratosphere

d) Ultraviolet; infrared; the troposphere

Answer 1

Greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation emitted by the earth and emit infrared radiation in the troposphere.

Step-by-step explanation:

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor possess a unique property. They absorb infrared radiation, which is heat energy emitted by the Earth's surface. This absorption traps some of this heat in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping directly into space.

Instead, the absorbed energy causes these gases to emit infrared radiation in the same wavelength, scattering it in all directions. This process occurs predominantly in the troposphere, the lower layer of the Earth's atmosphere where weather phenomena take place.

Infrared radiation is crucial in regulating the Earth's temperature. When greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit this energy in the troposphere, it contributes to the warming of the lower atmosphere.

This phenomenon is the foundation of the greenhouse effect, which helps maintain the planet's habitable temperature range but is a concern when intensified due to human-induced increases in greenhouse gas concentrations.