Related vocabulary terms


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G

Global warming

Global warming is the long-term heating of Earth’s climate system observed since the pre-industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel burning, which increases heat-trapping greenhouse gas levels in Earth’s atmosphere. 


Greenhouse effect

Identified by scientists as far back as 1896, the greenhouse effect is the natural warming of the earth that results when gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun that would otherwise escape into space


Greenhouse gases

Earth’s greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere and warm the planet.