The Greenhouse Effect for Middle School Science

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The Greenhouse Effect describes how heat from the Sun is trapped by the atmosphere of a planet. It is not unique to Earth, but it is having an impact here.

If you would like a copy of the picture book, you can get it along with the reading passage, flashcards, and comprehension activities at Teachers Pay Teachers.

The Greenhouse Effect

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

The greenhouse effect is the name scientists have given to the way that gases in the atmosphere absorb or "trap" heat. The Earth has just the right amount of gases to keep the planet warm enough for life without getting too hot.

Venus has too many gases, which means that the planet is much hotter than Earth. The temperature on Venus is over 800 degrees Fahrenheit! The average temperature on Earth is about 61 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mars has too few gases, which means that the planet is much colder than Earth. The temperature on Mars is -67 degrees Fahrenheit; that is extremely cold.

The problem with the greenhouse effect is that the more gases that trap heat there are in the atmosphere, the hotter the planet. Earth has the right amount of gases in the atmosphere now, but people are getting worried because humans are releasing more and more carbon dioxide into the air. This carbon dioxide absorbs the heat from the Sun and warms our planet.

A warmer Earth might be nice if you live somewhere cold. However, it can also be dangerous or even deadly. A warmer Earth would mean that polar ice caps will melt. We can see them melting already.

The water that was trapped in the ice becomes a part of the oceans. As water is added to the oceans, sea level rises. If the water rises high enough, islands and coastal areas will be underwater. People who live in these places will need to find new homes.

A warmer Earth also means more intense weather. Big storms will get stronger. Hurricanes and tornadoes will be even more destructive and deadly.

We can prevent global warming by decreasing our carbon dioxide emissions by burning fewer fossil fuels. In addition to cutting our use of fossil fuels, we can invest in alternative energy sources that don't add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, such as solar, wind, or geothermal energy. If we can give our atmosphere time to heal, over time, the excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will be returned to the rocks on Earth through the carbon cycle.