Final answer:
The correct answer is the greenhouse effect. When short-wavelength radiation from the Sun passes through a planet's atmosphere but long-wavelength reradiation is trapped, it creates the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere trap heat from the Sun and increase the temperature of the planet.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is C. the greenhouse effect.
When short-wavelength radiation from the Sun passes through a planet's atmosphere but long-wavelength reradiation is trapped, the resulting conditions produce the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a process in which certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere, called greenhouse gases, trap heat from the Sun and thus increase the temperature of the planet.
The greenhouse gases absorb the long-wavelength infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface, preventing it from escaping back into space and leading to an increase in global temperature.