Final answer:
The greenhouse effect is named for the way Earth's atmosphere traps heat like the glass of a greenhouse. It involves the absorption and re-emission of infrared radiation by greenhouse gases, which helps to keep the planet warm.
Step-by-step explanation:
The greenhouse effect is often mentioned in discussions about climate change and environmental science—it is instrumental in maintaining the Earth's climate. The effect is named because the Earth's atmosphere functions similarly to the glass walls of a greenhouse. Just as those glass panels allow sunlight to enter and prevent heat from escaping, certain gases in our atmosphere trap heat from the Sun. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor, among others.
When the Sun's radiation reaches the Earth, the surface absorbs this energy, warming up and then re-emitting it as infrared radiation. However, unlike visible light, this infrared radiation doesn't easily pass through the atmospheric 'barrier' created by greenhouse gases. These gases effectively trap this heat, re-radiating it and maintaining the Earth's surface warmer than it would be otherwise.
The greenhouse effect is crucial for life as we know it. Without it, our planet would be too cold. However, human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, have increased the concentration of these greenhouse gases, thereby enhancing the greenhouse effect and leading to a warming of the planet's surface, a phenomenon known as global warming.
In summary, the Earth's atmosphere acts like the glass of a greenhouse by trapping heat, and this trapping effect is due to the presence of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. So, the correct option is: the Earth's atmosphere acts like the glass of a greenhouse.