What is the name of the process that traps heat in the lower atmosphere because of CO2 and other gases?

• A. Global Warming
• B. Albedo
• C. Greenhouse Effect
• D. Ozone Layer

Answer: (C)

The greenhouse effect is the process by which heat from the Sun is trapped near Earth’s surface by greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide in the lower atmosphere. Sunlight warms the surface, and the surface emits infrared heat. Greenhouse gases readily absorb that infrared radiation and then radiate heat in all directions, including back toward the surface, so more heat stays trapped near the ground. This keeps the lower atmosphere warmer than it would be otherwise. Humans boost this effect by increasing CO2 and other greenhouse gases, which raises average temperatures further.

Albedo refers to how reflective a surface is, which affects how much sunlight is absorbed or reflected. The ozone layer protects us from UV radiation in the upper atmosphere, not the heat-trapping process in the lower atmosphere. Global warming describes the overall increase in Earth's average temperature, which is a consequence of the enhanced greenhouse effect rather than the mechanism itself.