Why is the greenhouse effect only one way?

1.29K views

So what I’m reading is that these gas absorb the light from the sun and keeps it trapped on the earth.

What I don’t get is how is it letting the light and heat in from the sun in, but not the light and heat reflected from the Earth out? If it’s a barrier, shouldn’t it block both ways? If it’s not a barrier, how is it trapping the heat?

In: 950

42 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Imagine that barrier as having two different surfaces, one of them is more reflective than the other, lets say a sunray hits the ozone layer 40% of that makes it through and hits the ground, then the ground reflects it and it bounces up again this time only 40% of that 40% actually makes it out, creating a cumulative effect, look up how a greenhouse works

You are viewing 1 out of 42 answers, click here to view all answers.