How Does Greenhouse Glass Work?
Greenhouse glass traps heat energy in the same way that our planet’s atmosphere keeps us warm – through light wave transformation, and through convection of the air inside the greenhouse. Solar radiation reaches the greenhouse, passes through the glass, and gets absorbed by the ground and plants inside the greenhouse. The ground and plants transform the solar energy, and convert it to heat energy, which cannot escape through the glass. The air inside the greenhouse is kept warm by convection, which simply means that warmer air near the ground rises, and the cooler air near the ceiling of the greenhouse falls. Because the greenhouse glass keeps the air trapped inside, the convection process allows the air to absorb more and more heat each time it rises and falls. The sun provides three basic types of light waves: UV or ultraviolet waves, visible light waves, and infrared light waves. Each of these light waves has a relatively short wavelength, and will pass easily through most types of
