Final answer:
The process involving gases in the atmosphere absorbing and emitting infrared radiation is radiative heat transfer, distinct from conduction and convection. This process relates to the greenhouse effect and plays a critical role in Earth's climate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that involves gases in the atmosphere absorbing and giving off infrared radiation is known as radiative heat transfer. There are three main methods of heat transfer: conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is the process where heat is transferred between objects in direct contact. Convection is the transfer of heat by the movement of fluid, which can be a liquid or gas. Radiation involves the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves, like infrared radiation. In the context of the atmosphere and greenhouse effect, certain gases such as carbon dioxide and methane trap heat by absorbing and re-emitting infrared radiation, leading to warming of the Earth's surface. This is an example of radiative heat transfer, specifically infrared radiation, which is emitted by the Earth and then partly re-radiated back towards the surface by these gases.