Introduction

A greenhouse is also called a "forcing structure", that is, an artificial environment in

which plants are "forced" to grow, despite harsh outside climate. The minimum
requirement for any greenhouse is that it allows warmth and light to enter, providing a
microcosm climate favorable to plant growth.

Every greenhouse operates on a simple physical principle called "the greenhouse

effect". Sunlight passes through transparent or translucent materials such as glass or
plastic. When it strikes an opaque surface inside (plant leaves, greenhouse floor,
planters) some of the light energy is changed into heat.

The darker the surface, the more heat is generated. The greenhouse panels are good at
transmitting light, but not heat. Therefore, most of the heat stays inside.

The exchange of incoming and outgoing radiation that warms the Earth is often referred to as
the greenhouse effect because a greenhouse works in much the same way.

The “greenhouse effect” that is warming the planet is the product of so-called
greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Those gasses include water vapor and carbon
dioxide. Those gasses allow sunlight to pass through the atmosphere to the earth’s
surface. When the sunlight strikes the surface, the energy in the sunlight is converted to
heat. It’s the same energy that makes you feel warm when you stand in the sun. And
since those gasses do a good job of trapping much of the heat and preventing it from
escaping out into space, the earth’s atmosphere warms up.

Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gas, any gas that has the property of absorbing infrared
radiation (net heat energy) emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiating it back
to Earth’s surface, thus contributing to the greenhouse effect. Carbon
dioxide, methane, and water vapour are the most important greenhouse
gases. (To a lesser extent, surface-level ozone, nitrous oxides, and fluorinated
gases also trap infrared radiation.) Greenhouse gases have a profound effect
on the energy budget of the Earth system despite making up only a fraction of
all atmospheric gases.

Major Greenhouse Gases

Water vapour
Water vapour is the most potent greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere, but
its behaviour is fundamentally different from that of the other greenhouse
gases. The primary role of water vapour is not as a direct agent of radiative
forcing but rather as a climate feedback—that is, as a response within the
climate system that influences the system’s continued activity. This distinction
arises because the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere cannot, in
general, be directly modified by human behaviour but is instead set by air
temperatures. The warmer the surface, the greater the evaporation rate of
water from the surface. As a result, increased evaporation leads to a greater
concentration of water vapour in the lower atmosphere capable of
absorbing infrared radiationand emitting it back to the surface.

Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most significant greenhouse gas. Natural sources
of atmospheric CO2 include outgassing from volcanoes, the combustion and
natural decay of organic matter, and respiration by aerobic (oxygen-using)
organisms. These sources are balanced, on average, by a set of physical,
chemical, or biological processes, called “sinks,” that tend to remove CO2 from
the atmosphere. Significant natural sinks include terrestrial vegetation, which
takes up CO2 during photosynthesis.

Methane
Methane (CH4) is the second most important greenhouse gas. CH4 is more
potent than CO2 because the radiative forcing produced per molecule is
greater. In addition, the infrared window is less saturated in the range
of wavelengths of radiation absorbed by CH4, so more molecules may fill in
the region. However, CH4 exists in far lower concentrations than CO2 in
the atmosphere, and its concentrations by volume in the atmosphere are
generally measured in parts per billion (ppb) rather than ppm. CH4 also has a
considerably shorter residence time in the atmosphere than CO2 (the
residence time for CH4 is roughly 10 years, compared with hundreds of years
for CO2).

Surface-level ozone
The next most significant greenhouse gas is surface, or low-level, ozone(O3).
Surface O3 is a result of air pollution; it must be distinguished from naturally
occurring stratospheric O3, which has a very different role in the planetary
radiation balance. The primary natural source of surface O3is the subsidence
of stratospheric O3 from the upper atmosphere. In contrast, the primary
anthropogenic source of surface O3 is photochemical reactions involving the
atmospheric pollutant carbon monoxide (CO). The best estimates of the
concentration of surface O3are 50 ppb, and the net radiative forcing due to
anthropogenic emissions of surface O3 is approximately 0.35 watt per square
metre.

GreenHouse effect

Greenhouse effect, a warming of Earth’s surface and troposphere (the

lowest layer of the atmosphere) caused by the presence of water
vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, and certain other gases in the air. Of those
gases, known as greenhouse gases, water vapour has the largest effect.
The atmosphere allows most of the visible light from the Sun to pass through
and reach Earth’s surface. As Earth’s surface is heated by sunlight, it radiates
part of this energy back toward space as infrared radiation. This radiation,
unlike visible light, tends to be absorbed by the greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere, raising its temperature. The heated atmosphere in turn radiates
infrared radiation back toward Earth’s surface.

ADVANTAGES
One of the reasons why our planet is able to sustain life is because of the presence of greenhouse
gases and their effect on earth’s atmosphere and human beings. They can be summarized as
follows:
The greenhouse effect maintains a manageable temperature on the earth’s surface and makes it
habitable for humans, plants and animals.

The greenhouse gases act as a filter. Unwanted solar energy is sent back to space. Ozone absorbs
the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. Carbon dioxide and other gases absorb the longer wavelength
radiation. Without these greenhouse gases acting as filter, all harmful rays would have been radiated
back to the earth’s surface.

For ages, humans have used the greenhouse effect to grow plants even if it is not the season for it.
Out of season crops are grown by creating a greenhouse effect artificially.

Solar powered water heaters use the greenhouse effect to heat water. This contributes to energy
saving and can save up to 20-30 percent of the domestic energy bill.
Greenhouse effect can also maintain the water level of the earth’s surface. It prevents the melting of
ice and restricts the polar caps to the polar regions only.
While greenhouse gases like ozone and carbon have definite advantages, the potential
disadvantages far exceed the former. For ages, there was a delicate balance between how much
energy is absorbed by greenhouse gases and redirected to the earth and how much was radiated
back to the space. With the increased burning of fossil fuels, the percentage of greenhouse gases
has increased. This means that more solar energy is directed into earth than what is being radiated
into space. This heats up the earth’s surface leading to what is known as global warming.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages of Green house effect:

 Since green house gases helps to maintain the temperature, the primary effect of the increase in
greenhouse gases would be on climate. This would mean warmer summers with natural
disasters. Hurricanes have become common in recent years.
 Water level balance of the earth would be destroyed. Polar ice caps would melt leading to an
increase in the ocean level. Floods will inundate low lying areas.
 Marine life and ecosystem would be destroyed. Oceans absorb carbon dioxide thereby affecting
the level of alkalinity. Many forms of marine life would be adversely affected if alkalinity increases.
Polar ecosystems would be destroyed. In the Arctic, melting polar caps are threatening the
habitats of polar bears and penguins.
 Global warming would also affect the weather pattern. Rainfall would become erratic in many
parts of the world. This might eventually lead to desertification.
 The effect on human and economic life would also be tremendous. It is estimated that the rise in
temperature would reduce global output by 2 to 3 percent. This cost would run into trillions of
dollars. As agricultural production is affected, this might lead to frequent famines and famine
related diseases.

Global warming

Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of
the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing
the Earth’s climate. The scientific consensus on climatic changes related to global warming is
that the average temperature of the Earth has risen between 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the past 100
years. The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by the
burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities, are believed to be
the primary sources of the global warming that has occurred over the past 50 years.

Effects

 Melting glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic
water shortages and increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.

 Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially
in Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.
  Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy
downpours, and increased flooding. All those factors will damage or destroy
agriculture and fisheries.

 Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and Alpine meadows could drive many
plant and animal species to extinction.

 Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common
due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution,
and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.

Conclusion