The Idea of the Greenhouse Effect was First Suggested by the French Physicist Around the Late 19th Century

The idea of the greenhouse effect was first suggested by the French physicist Joseph Fourier in 1824. The concept was later developed on by the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius in 1896. He was the first to suggest that changes in the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could affect temperatures on Earth.

Joseph Fourier’s Initial Hypothesis

Joseph Fourier’s initial hypothesis proposed that the Earth’s atmosphere acted like a blanket to trap heat. He proposed that the atmosphere trapped heat from the sun and prevented it from escaping into space. This was the first suggestion of the greenhouse effect.

Svante Arrhenius’ Further Development of the Hypothesis

Svante Arrhenius further developed the hypothesis of the greenhouse effect. He proposed that changes in the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could affect the temperature of the Earth. Arrhenius suggested that the burning of fossil fuels could increase the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and this would lead to an increase in global temperature.

Conclusion

The idea of the greenhouse effect was first suggested by the French physicist Joseph Fourier in 1824. The concept was later developed on by the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius in 1896. His hypothesis proposed that the Earth’s atmosphere acted like a blanket to trap heat, and that changes in the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could affect temperatures on Earth.

Related Questions

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