Explore the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance
Change the sun, reflectivity and greenhouse gases and see the surface temperature of Earth, Venus, Mars or Snowball Earth. Works on phones and computers.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
See it in action
The Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance with sample data entered and the result showing.
What is the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance?
Change the sun, reflectivity and greenhouse gases and see the surface temperature of Earth, Venus, Mars or Snowball Earth. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.
Climate scientists use energy-balance models like this to understand global warming, and it also explains the surface temperatures of other planets.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
Without any greenhouse effect Earth would average about -18 C.
Greenhouse gases absorb heat from the ground and send part of it back down, warming the surface. The more they trap (the optical depth), the hotter it gets.
More reflective surfaces (higher albedo) send more sunlight back to space and cool the planet.
Choose No atmosphere and compare with Earth today.
Raise the greenhouse gas amount a little and see how much the surface warms.
Try Snowball Earth and explain why ice keeps a planet cold.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
Earth & Space learners
Astronomy and earth-science students, and teachers who need a visual model to explain what is happening in the sky.
Try it freeTeachers
For teachers: project the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance on the board, let students predict the result, then run it together and test this: Raise the greenhouse gas amount a little and see how much the surface warms. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Try it freeHow it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This simulation | Textbook diagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Drag, tap and change settings | Fixed picture |
| Install | Nothing to install | Not needed |
| Cost | Free to use | Depends on the book |
Questions people ask
What is the greenhouse effect?
A natural warming caused by gases in the air that absorb infrared heat from the surface and radiate part of it back down.
Why is Venus so hot?
It has a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere with a strong greenhouse effect and it is closer to the Sun.
Is the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance free to use?
Yes. The Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Earth & Space group of AZRS simulations.
Does the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can use its 4 adjustable settings with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.
How do I use the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance?
1. In the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance, use the controls to change Sunlight strength, Reflectivity (albedo), Greenhouse gas amount, Worlds. The simulation reacts instantly. 2. In the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance, pick an option such as Earth today, No atmosphere, Snowball Earth, Venus-like to switch modes or load an example. 3. Start with this experiment: Choose No atmosphere and compare with Earth today. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Greenhouse Effect & Earth's Energy Balance responds in real time. 4. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Without any greenhouse effect Earth would average about -18 C.
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