What is global warming? by Debbie Makinano

What is global warming? 

Global warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises).  It happens when greenhouse

gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun

in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature.  This hurts many people, animals,

and plants.  Many cannot take the change, so they die.

What is the greenhouse effect?

The greenhouse effect is when the temperature rises because the sun’s heat and light is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere.  This is like when heat is trapped in a car. A very hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot.  This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows, but it can’t get back out.  This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth.  The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out.  As a result, the temperature rises.

The sun’s heat can get into the car through the windows but is then trapped.  This makes what

ever the place might be, a greenhouse, a car, a building, or the earth’s atmosphere, hotter.  This

diagram shows the heat coming into a car as visible light (light you can see) and infrared light

(heat).  Once the light is inside the car, it is trapped and the heat builds up, just like it does in the

earth’s atmosphere.