The greenhouse effect
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me
Circle the best answer.
Sunlight arrows in, and infrared arrows going up, back down and out to space. A classmate says the greenhouse effect is entirely harmful. Which reply fits NASA, by Esme's reading?
- Correct; without it, Earth would sit at a comfortable 15 °C instead of colder
- No; the effect cools the surface by reflecting its heat out to space
- No; the natural effect keeps the surface near 15 °C, over 30 °C warmer than with no air
- Correct; greenhouse gases mainly block the sunlight coming in from space
A molecule with infrared arrows going up and down. A student says greenhouse gases trap heat forever, like a lid. Which reply fits NASA, by Jun's reading?
- Correct; heat stays in the gases, so Earth keeps warming without any limit
- No; they absorb infrared and radiate it in all directions, some up and some down
- No; they reflect each ray of infrared straight back down to the ground
- Correct; they work like glass that keeps sunlight from ever leaving
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Sunlight arrows in, and infrared arrows going up, back down and out to space.
About 340 W/m² of sunlight arrives on average (NASA). At 117%, about how many W/m² does the surface radiate up, by Luz's math?
- About 40 W/m²
- About 457 W/m²
- About 398 W/m²
- About 223 W/m²
About 340 W/m² of sunlight arrives on average (NASA). At 12%, about how many W/m² of infrared escape straight to space, by Milo's math?
- About 352 W/m²
- About 41 W/m²
- About 28 W/m²
- About 4 W/m²
Absorption bands for water vapor and CO₂, with a window near 10 micrometers. Which evidence best shows that CO₂ absorbs outgoing infrared, by Pia's reading (NASA)?
- It reflects visible sunlight straight back out to space
- It is the most abundant gas in Earth's air, more than nitrogen
- Its absorption pattern takes in infrared longer than about 12 to 13 micrometers
- Water vapor already takes in those wavelengths, so CO₂ adds nothing
Energy flows as a share of incoming sunlight (NASA)
Flow Share of incoming sunlight Reflected to space 29% Absorbed by the atmosphere 23% Absorbed by the surface 48% Infrared up from the surface 117% Infrared back down to the surface 100% Infrared from the surface straight to space 12% Infrared from the atmosphere to space 59% Which observation best supports that the atmosphere sends heat back down, by Ren's reading (NASA)?
- The sky glows green on a clear afternoon
- The surface gets downward infrared equal to about 100% of incoming sunlight
- Clouds reflect about 48% of incoming sunlight back to space, which warms the ground below
- The Sun's surface is about 55 °C
Model data: Planet A's air has no greenhouse gases; Planet B's has some. Both get the same sunlight and reflect the same share. Which surface should be warmer, by Tala's reading?
- Planet B, since its gases send infrared back down
- Planet A, since its clear air lets more sunlight through
- Planet A, since greenhouse gases reflect heat away
- They match, since sunlight alone sets the temperature
Sunlight arrows in, and infrared arrows going up, back down and out to space. Which summary of the natural greenhouse effect fits NASA, by Zee's reading?
- Nitrogen and oxygen absorb the surface's heat and send it back down
- Gases block most incoming sunlight before it reaches the ground, so the surface stays near 15 °C
- Gases reflect infrared like a mirror, sending each ray back down
- Sunlight warms the surface; gases absorb its infrared and send some back, keeping it near 15 °C
Energy flows as a share of incoming sunlight (NASA)
Flow Share of incoming sunlight Reflected to space 29% Absorbed by the atmosphere 23% Absorbed by the surface 48% Infrared up from the surface 117% Infrared back down to the surface 100% Infrared from the surface straight to space 12% Infrared from the atmosphere to space 59% Which summary of where surface heat goes fits NASA's budget, by Ari's reading?
- 100% goes up, 117% comes back, and about 59% escapes straight to space
- 117% goes up and stays in the air, with nothing escaping to space
- 117% goes up, 100% comes back, and about 12% escapes straight to space
- 12% goes up, 29% comes back, and about 48% escapes straight to space
Absorption bands for water vapor and CO₂, with a window near 10 micrometers. Which summary of the atmospheric window fits NASA, by Bo's reading?
- Water vapor lets some infrared near 10 micrometers escape; CO₂ partly closes that window
- The window lets visible sunlight in, and CO₂ blocks that sunlight
- Water vapor blocks each wavelength, so CO₂ has nothing left to absorb
- CO₂ opens the window wider near 10 micrometers, letting more of the surface's heat escape to space