Greenhouse gas

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/greenhouse-gas

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the natural equilibrium temperature?Earth's average surface temperature without GHGs would be -18°C (0°F)
2. What is the current average temperature?Earth's average surface temperature is approximately 15°C (59°F) due to GHGs
3. What is a greenhouse gas and how does it keep Earth warm?Greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation that the Earth emits and then re‑radiate it back, creating a blanket that keeps the planet at about 15°C instead of freezing.
4. Why did Earth's temperature change after 1750?Since 1750 people have burned fossil fuels, cut down trees, and run factories, adding more CO₂ and methane to the air and making the blanket thicker, which warms the planet.

Radiative Forcing: The change in the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared radiation that warms or cools the planet.
Anthropogenic: Originating from human activity.
Fossil Fuels: Combustible geologic deposits of organic materials, primarily coal, petroleum, and natural gas, formed from the remains of ancient organisms.
Infrared Radiation: Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light, often associated with heat.