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The Greenhouse Effect |
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There has been a huge increase in the amount of carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases, being released into the atmosphere. This is because of all the fuel being burned in cars, factories and power stations. Because the Sun’s rays have such a short wavelength, they can pass through the Earth’s atmosphere without heating it. The ground, however, is heated and this enables the earth to radiate the heat back into the space. However the huge amount of greenhouse gases being released act as a roof and stop this heat from escaping into the atmosphere. This is happening every day and scientists predict that this will result in a change in the Earth’s climate. There will be more storms and hurricanes, and the deserts will expand. The increase in temperature will lead to the melting of the polar ice caps and will cause sea levels to rise. |