Question

The greenhouse effect is caused by:
A. Greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere absorbing solar radiation
B. Greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere absorbing radiation from the Earth's surface, and preventing much of it escaping into space
C. Too much heat in the atmosphere
D. Too much sunshine reaching Earth

Answer 1

Hint: Greenhouse effect is the process of warming up of the earth surface. This is done by some of the factors which will cause the temperature of the earth surface to increase. There are some gases which are known as greenhouse gases. These gases play a responsible role in the greenhouse effect.

Complete step by step answer:
So, the process of the greenhouse effect will take place in few steps as follows,
Step 1. Reaching of the solar radiation to the earth surface. In this phenomenon some parts of the light are reflected back into the atmosphere.
Step 2. Now the remaining part of the light energy will be absorbed by the land and ocean and this absorption of the light will increase the temperature of the earth.
Step 3. Now the heat which is being generated will radiate towards the atmosphere.
Step 4. Some of the radiated light will be trapped by the greenhouse gases like water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and some artificial chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). This temperature rise will be only that much in which human life sustains.
Step 5. Now due to some human activities like burning of the fossil fuels, agriculture, land cleaning, rise in the amount of the greenhouse gasses, the temperature of the earth will rise more.
Step 6. This will trap the extra heat and they will result in the rise of the earth temperature.
Hence from the above discussion we have come to the conclusion that the main cause of the greenhouse effect is the rise in the amount of the greenhouse gasses in the lower atmosphere and their ability to trap the radiation from the earth surface and prevent it from escaping into the atmosphere.

So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note: There are some activities from which the greenhouse gasses are produced-
1. Burning of fossil fuels for domestic purposes creates a huge amount of the carbon dioxide gas.
2. Electricity production will produce a large amount of the greenhouse gasses since they use fossil fuel in large amounts.
3. Using some electrical appliances and other items in which the greenhouse gases like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are used.
4. Transportation produces the largest amount of greenhouse gas emission.