Merkkikaasut

Merkkikaasut, often translated as "greenhouse gases," are atmospheric gases that trap heat. They allow short-wave radiation from the sun to pass through the atmosphere and warm the Earth's surface, but they absorb and re-emit long-wave infrared radiation, preventing some of it from escaping back into space. This natural process, known as the greenhouse effect, is essential for maintaining a habitable temperature on Earth. Without it, the planet would be too cold to support life as we know it.

The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3). Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas, but its concentration is largely controlled by temperature. Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), deforestation, and industrial processes, have significantly increased the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide since the Industrial Revolution.

Increased concentrations of these anthropogenic greenhouse gases are believed to be the primary driver of observed global warming and climate change. While the greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon, the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by human emissions is leading to a rise in global average temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, more frequent extreme weather events, and sea-level rise. Understanding the role and sources of merkkikaasut is crucial for addressing climate change.