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Intermediate Dictionary        

greenhouse effect

 
pronunciation:
grin haUs fekt
part of speech: noun
definition: the warming of the earth's surface and lower atmosphere that is caused by reflected sunlight being trapped by certain gasses that are emitted on earth. Light from the sun travels through space and enters earth's atmosphere, naturally warming the planet and making it possible for humans to live on it. Once sunlight hits the earth, though, it bounces back into space. If it did not go back into space, the earth would be too hot to live on. Gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that are sent into the air from earth are capable of trapping sunlight that should return to space. The warmth created by the trapped sunlight is called the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect can be seen on other planets in the universe if gases emitted from the planet trap light from a star.