The earth's atmosphere insulates the earth's surface, making it around 33 degrees [[Celsius]] (59 degrees [[Fahrenheit]]) warmer than it would be without any air.<ref>''Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment'', by C. Donald Ahrens, West Publishing Company, 1988</ref> This occurs through absorption of outgoing [[infrared rays]] by gas molecules like water vapor, [[carbon dioxide]], and [[methane]]. This warming is known as the ''[[greenhouse effect]]''. | The earth's atmosphere insulates the earth's surface, making it around 33 degrees [[Celsius]] (59 degrees [[Fahrenheit]]) warmer than it would be without any air.<ref>''Meteorology Today: An Introduction to Weather, Climate, and the Environment'', by C. Donald Ahrens, West Publishing Company, 1988</ref> This occurs through absorption of outgoing [[infrared rays]] by gas molecules like water vapor, [[carbon dioxide]], and [[methane]]. This warming is known as the ''[[greenhouse effect]]''. |