Climate change

This topic deals with its causes, symptoms and consequences for nature and people

The greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon and is essential for life on our planet. The earth is surrounded by an envelope of air, called the atmosphere. In this atmosphere, there are several gases. Some of these are greenhouse gases who allow sunlight through to the earth, but keep the heat that is radiated back from the earth in the atmosphere. If they did not do that, it would be much too cold on our planet.

Try to fill in the gases that form the natural green house effect, in the text:

is one of the most important gases, it comes from the water cycle of the earth.

Correct answer: water vapour (H2O)

But also for example produced during forest fires and volcanic eruptions, and , which rises from swamps, marshes and forests into the air, are important components of the natural greenhouse effect.

Correct answer: carbon dioxide (CO2); methane (CH4)

People increasingly affect this natural process, by releasing various greenhouse gases and thus enhancing the natural greenhouse effect. The more greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere, however, the more heat is reflected, and therefore the earth's temperature rises.

Sources

Tiemann, Dorothea (2011): Krimi, Killer & Konsum. Das etwas andere Klima! Münster: BUN