How do greenhouse gases absorb energy?

Question

and how do they re-release them? please provide a source.

wikipedia is ok but a more reliable source would be great

Answer 1

The radiation causes the molecules to spin and vibrate faster, absorbing energy in the process.  Then they slow down again, releasing the energy.

http://www.avogadro.co.uk/light/matter/q...

http://physics.schooltool.nl/irspectrosc...

http://cat.middlebury.edu/~chem/chemistr...

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:21i...

Answer 2

Greenhouse gases naturally blanket the Earth and keep it about 33 degrees Celsius warmer than it would be without these gases in the atmosphere.  This is called the Greenhouse Effect.  Over the past century, the Earth has increased in temperature by about .5 degrees Celsius and many scientists believe this is because of an increase in concentration of  the main greenhouse gases:  carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorocarbons.Shorter-wavelength solar radiation from the sun passes through Earth's atmosphere, then is absorbed by the surface of the Earth, causing it to warm.  Part of the absorbed energy is then re radiated back to the atmosphere as long wave infared radiation.  Little of this long wave radiation escapes back into space;   the radiation cannot pass through the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The greenhouse gases selectively transmit the infared waves, trapping some and allowing some to pass through into space. The greenhouse gases absorb these waves and re emits the waves downward, causing the lower atmosphere to warm.