OpenOlympiad
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Concept 8 of 8Foundation
Video

Greenhouse effect and global warming

Earth is kept warm by a blanket of gases — the greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), water vapour, nitrous oxide.

Without this blanket, Earth's surface would average around –18°C — too cold for most life.

Greenhouse effect: sunlight reaches Earth, warms the surface; Earth radiates heat back; greenhouse gases trap some of this heat before it escapes to space. A natural, necessary process.

The problem (global warming): burning fossil fuels (coal, petrol, diesel) since the 1800s has raised CO₂ sharply. The blanket now traps MORE heat than needed, warming Earth unnaturally.

Effects: melting glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels, unusual weather (heatwaves, heavy storms), coral bleaching, shifting seasons.

Example
A car left in the sun gets much hotter than the outside air — same principle as greenhouse gases trapping heat.
💡 Tip:Solutions: renewable energy (solar, wind), public transport, planting trees, reducing waste. Every small action counts.
▶Prefer a video? Open YouTube search for “greenhouse effect global warming class 6”↗

🎯 Try it!

5 questions to check what you just read.

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  1. Q1.Greenhouse gases trap:
  2. Q2.Main human cause of rising CO₂:
  3. Q3.Effect of global warming:
  4. Q4.Which is NOT a greenhouse gas?
  5. Q5.Simple way to reduce your carbon footprint: