Final answer:
Growing tomatoes in a greenhouse is more efficient due to the Greenhouse Effect, which traps heat and creates an optimal environment, leading to higher yields, longer growing seasons, and protection from pests and weather.
Step-by-step explanation:
Even though the input required for growing tomatoes in a large greenhouse is 240 times greater than in a small garden, it is still more efficient to grow them in a greenhouse due to the Greenhouse Effect. This effect allows greenhouses to trap heat, creating a warmer environment than the outside temperatures, which is ideal for heat-loving plants like tomatoes.
Greenhouses utilize glass or plastic to allow visible light to enter, which is converted to heat energy absorbed by the plants and soil. This heat is then radiated as infrared radiation, which cannot pass back through the glass, thus retaining the heat and maintaining an optimal growing temperature for tomatoes.
This controlled environment can lead to higher yields, longer growing seasons, and protection from pests and weather, which are often challenging in outdoor gardens.