Debunking the 'Heat Only Rises' Claim
AAP FactCheck examines the claim that atmospheric carbon dioxide cannot warm the Earth's surface because "heat only goes up".
Having reached the air, CO2 no longer has any possible heating effect. Have you forgotten what we learned at school, that heat goes UP??
Experts argue that this claim defies climate science, as heat is transferred in all directions, including downwards, via radiation. This process allows carbon dioxide (CO2) to warm the planet.
- Warm air rises, but this does not prevent atmospheric carbon dioxide from warming the Earth's surface.
- CO2 transfers heat in all directions through radiation.
- This process can be observed using scientific instruments.
Author's summary: Climate science disproves the "heat only rises" claim.