greenhouse student.pdf - Name: Aim 31: The Greenhouse Effect Date ... - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to fill in the blanks using what we know about how Earth gets heat from the Sun.

---

1. What is the greenhouse effect?
→ It’s when certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat and keep Earth warm — like a blanket.
✔ Answer: *The natural process of trapping heat*

---

2. What are greenhouse gases?
→ These are gases that hold onto heat. Common ones are carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor.
✔ Answer: *Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere*

---

3. How does the greenhouse effect work?
→ Sunlight comes in → Earth absorbs it and warms up → Earth gives off heat (infrared) → Greenhouse gases catch some of that heat and send it back down → Keeps planet warm.
✔ Answer: *Sunlight enters, Earth heats up, releases infrared radiation, greenhouse gases trap some of it, warming the planet*

---

4. What is the problem with too many greenhouse gases?
→ Too much = too much heat trapped = global warming → climate change, melting ice, extreme weather.
✔ Answer: *Too much heat is trapped, causing global warming and climate change*

---

5. What happens if there were no greenhouse gases?
→ Earth would be way too cold for life — average temp around -18°C instead of +15°C.
✔ Answer: *Earth would be too cold to support most life*

---

6. What do greenhouse gases do?
→ They absorb and re-radiate heat energy back toward Earth’s surface.
✔ Answer: *Absorb and re-radiate heat energy back to Earth*

---

Now let’s label the diagram:

We have arrows showing:
- Light rays coming from the Sun → this is Solar Radiation Reaching Earth
- Some light bounces off clouds or ground → Some Reflected Heat Radiation Lost Into Space
- Most light is absorbed by land/ocean → Heat Absorbed Back to Earth
- Then Earth radiates heat upward → but greenhouse gases trap some → Heat Radiation Reflected From Atmosphere

Also, the dotted line around Earth = Layer of Gases (the atmosphere)

So labeling the diagram parts:

Top arrow pointing down from sun → Light rays
Arrow bouncing off top of atmosphere/clouds → Some Reflected Heat Radiation Lost Into Space
Arrow going into Earth’s surface → Heat Absorbed Back to Earth
Curved arrow going up then bending back down → Heat Radiation Reflected From Atmosphere
Dotted circle around Earth → Layer of Gases

---

Final Answer:

Fill-in-the-blank answers:

- The greenhouse effect? → *The natural process of trapping heat*
- Greenhouse gases? → *Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere*
- How does the greenhouse effect work? → *Sunlight enters, Earth heats up, releases infrared radiation, greenhouse gases trap some of it, warming the planet*
- What is the problem with too many greenhouse gases? → *Too much heat is trapped, causing global warming and climate change*
- What happens if there were no greenhouse gases? → *Earth would be too cold to support most life*
- What do greenhouse gases do? → *Absorb and re-radiate heat energy back to Earth*

Diagram labels (from top to bottom as shown):

1. Light rays
2. Some Reflected Heat Radiation Lost Into Space
3. Heat Absorbed Back to Earth
4. Heat Radiation Reflected From Atmosphere
5. Layer of Gases