Information on Greenhouse Effects

Heat

• The greenhouse effect traps warm air in the atmosphere. This atmosphere could be the Earth's atmosphere, which traps the heat of the sun and blocks out cold air. According to Indianchild.com, the average temperature of the Earth would be -0.4 degrees Fahrenheit, instead of the current 59 degrees Fahrenheit, if the greenhouse effect didn't occur. The greenhouse effect could also refer to plastic or glass that is used to keep vegetables and other plants warm in greenhouses.

Science

• Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor absorb the radiation from the sun. Twenty-six percent of the radiation bounces back into space off the atmosphere; roughly 19 percent is absorbed by clouds and ozone gases. The rest, 55 percent, reaches the Earth. Four percent of that bounces back into space, but the rest assists the Earth by, among other things, helping plants perform photosynthesis, whereby they use the sun's energy to produce food for themselves. The heat also causes evaporation, which produces clouds and, eventually, water.

Crops

• Because the Earth has a fragile ecosystem, a slight increase to the planet's temperature could have an adverse effect on food. According to an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Earth's average temperature will rise by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit this century. The Panel warns that the North American corn belt could be destroyed. The belt produces a large amount of grain, and its detriment could mean higher food prices. Less food could be available to already-starving people in Third-World countries. However, more food could be produced in northern climates.

Sea Levels

• With a rising global temperature, there is a risk that melting ice caps could flood the shores of coastal countries. The Panel predicts 15 percent of Egypt and 12 percent of Bangladesh would be flooded if the ocean rose one meter, which some scientists expect by 2030. In the Indian Ocean, the Maldives would essentially disappear. Countries in the South Pacific, Indian Ocean, Caribbean and the Mediterranean would all be affected. Most of this area is already ravaged by poverty.