Introduction
Earth would be too cold to inhabit without the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor. These gases in
Earth's atmosphere absorb and emit heat energy,
creating the greenhouse effect that keeps our
planet's temperature livable.
Since the industrial revolution, people have burned
vast amounts of coal, petroleum, and other fossil
fuels to create heat and power. This releases carbon
dioxide, the most plentiful human-produced greenhouse
gas, into the atmosphere. The result: more heat is trapped in Earth's atmosphere instead of radiating out into space.
