Greenhouse effect, a warming of Earth’s surface and troposphere (the lowest layer of the atmosphere) caused by the presence of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and certain other gases in the air. The Greenhouse Effect is a natural process that occurs in Earth's atmosphere, where certain greenhouse gases trap heat from the sun and keep the planet's temperature within a range suitable for life. The greenhouse effect is important for maintaining the balance of the Earth's climate. The greenhouse effect occurs when heat-trapping gases in a planet's atmosphere prevent the planet from losing heat to space, raising its surface temperature. Surface heating can happen from an internal heat source (as in the case of Jupiter) or come from an external source, such as a host star. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are a category of gases that absorb heat energy emitted from the planet's surface and they remain in Earth's atmosphere for a long time (from decades to centuries).
