The buildup of heat caused by radiant energy being trapped in the earth's atmosphere is known as what?

The buildup of heat caused by radiant energy being trapped in the Earth's atmosphere is known as the Greenhouse Effect. This phenomenon occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere, referred to as greenhouse gases, allow sunlight to enter but prevent some of the outgoing heat from escaping back into space. As a result, the average temperature of the Earth increases, creating a stable and warm environment conducive to life.

The Greenhouse Effect is a natural and essential process for maintaining temperatures that support ecosystems. However, human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, have increased the concentration of these greenhouse gases, thus amplifying the effect and contributing to global warming.

While global warming refers specifically to the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to this enhanced greenhouse effect, and climate change encompasses a wider range of changes in the climate system, the term specifically denoting the trapping of heat by atmospheric gases is the Greenhouse Effect. The ozone layer, on the other hand, is a distinct atmospheric layer that helps protect the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation but is not directly involved in trapping heat in the same way.