What describes the greenhouse effect?

The greenhouse effect refers to the process by which certain gases in Earth's atmosphere, known as greenhouse gases, trap heat. When sunlight reaches the Earth, some of it is reflected back to space, and some is absorbed, warming the planet. The absorbed heat is then re-emitted as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor, absorb this infrared radiation and re-radiate it in all directions, including back toward the Earth's surface. This effectively keeps the planet warmer than it would be without these gases, allowing life as we know it to thrive.

The dynamic of the greenhouse effect is crucial to understanding climate change and global warming, as an increase in the concentration of these gases enhances the natural greenhouse effect, leading to an overall rise in Earth's temperatures.