Provides a definition of global warming.
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Introduction
Earth has warmed by about 1ºF over the past 100 years. But why? And how? Well, scientists are not exactly sure. The Earth could be getting warmer on its own, but many of the world's leading climate scientists think that things people do are helping to make the Earth warmer.

Greenhouse Effect, Climate Change, and Global Warming
The Greenhouse Effect: Scientists are sure about the greenhouse effect. They know that greenhouse gases make the Earth warmer by trapping energy in the atmosphere.Climate Change: Climate is the long-term average of a region's weather events lumped together. For example, it's possible that a winter day in Melbourne, could be sunny and mild, but the average weather - the climate - tells us that Buffalo's winters will mainly be cold and include snow and rain. Climate change represents a change in these long-term weather patterns. They can become warmer or colder. Annual amounts of rainfall or snowfall can increase or decrease.Global Warming: Global warming refers to an average increase in the Earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. When scientists talk about the issue of climate change, their concern is about global warming caused by human activities.

More on Global Warming & Environmental

Information provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

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REFERENCE

Global Warming: A Glossary of Terms

Atmosphere: At·mo·sphere ['at-m&-"sfir]. The mixture of gases surrounding the Earth.

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Global Warming: Can We Change the Climate?

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Global Warming: Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (wat...

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Global Warming: So, What's the Big Deal?

IntroductionSometimes little things can turn into big things. Think about brushing your teeth.

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Global Warming: The Climate Detectives

IntroductionScientists have to think like detectives. They look for clues to help them understand how the world works.

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Global Warming: We CAN Make a Difference!

IntroductionGlobal warming may be a big problem, but there are many little things we can do to make a difference.

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