The greenhouse effect and Earth's energy balance

PhysicsPhysics & the EnvironmentAges 15–16

Whether Earth warms or cools depends on the balance between the solar energy it absorbs and the infrared radiation it emits. Adjust the greenhouse-gas level, surface reflectivity (clouds, ice), and the solar constant to see how the equilibrium temperature changes — along with the ice-melt feedback loop that makes Earth absorb even more heat.