Imagine the Earth is like a cozy blanket wrapped around us, keeping us warm. This blanket is made up of layers of gases, like carbon dioxide and methane, which are called greenhouse gases. When sunlight reaches the Earth, some of it bounces back into space, but some is absorbed by the ground and turned into heat. This heat tries to escape back into space, but the greenhouse gases trap some of it, like a giant blanket holding in warmth. This process is called the greenhouse effect. It's like when you crawl under your covers at night and feel snug and warm.
However, just like too many blankets can make you too hot, too many greenhouse gases can make the Earth too warm. Human activities, like burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests, add extra greenhouse gases to the blanket, making it thicker and trapping more heat. This extra heat can cause the Earth's temperature to rise, leading to climate change. So, while the greenhouse effect is important for keeping our planet warm enough to support life, too much of it can cause problems. Just like how you need to find the right balance of blankets at night, we need to find the right balance of greenhouse gases to keep our planet comfortable and healthy.
