Trapped is an inaccurate description for the phenomena so technically you are correct & you MIGHT possibly win on a grade Challenge if you explain your reasoning for your answer.
The "greenhouse effect" should really be called the screenhouse effect because it only slows energy transfer like a fine mesh screen instead of blocking it like impermeable glass.
Probably should just accept the grade & let this one slide unless you want to be seen as argumentative.
Teachers in general are not too bright & usually have an unreasonable emotional response when their judgment is challenged.
That is how a green house works. What many people do not know is that glass works like a mirror for light in the infrared spectrum. Sunlight comes in thorugh clear glass and heats up the space. the infrared light (from heat) hits the same glass and is reflected back. Solar Thermal panels work the same way.
For AGW calling it the the greenhouse effect is somewhat disengenuos as no GAS works as an infrared mirror quiet like glass does.This being said there are "greenhouse gases" which do absorb more infrared light than other gases. These gas molecules then emit sid energy across their entire spherical shape. Thus you do get a version of the mirror effect with some heat coming from the earth's surface getting reflected back to the surface of the earth.
Do infrared rays get trapped? NO. It is more like a thermal insulator. A higher percentage of thermal energy is retained, but if you are using proper english, nothing is "trapped". This is not physically possible with gas. If your teacher is a science teacher they "should" know this.
EDIT: Challenging the grade is an interesting idea. In principle I say yes, but as another posted identified, some teachers do no ttake kindly to challenges while others welcome it. Not a teacher, but I honestly welcome any challenge...
Effect you in the long run scholarships etc. One test question? Not too likely unless it might make the difference on being valedictorian or seomething like that. You biggest impact will be your SAT and ACT scores. Retake those tests if you need to to make sure you have a good scorre to move forward with...
One thing you can learn that will impact your life, college, profession etc. You might want to learn how to give peolple the answers they want. For subjective issues this can be important. For objective matters, it shouldn't be, but sometimes it still matters.
It is all unprovable theory. Your teacher needs an education. There are many theories and your teacher should qualify that question. For example: "According to the theory put forth by XXX the greenhouse effect works this way. T/F"
Your teacher should be experienced in science enough to realize this. The fact that he or she doesn't shows that he or she needs further scientific training. There are no positive deductions in theory, only in established science.
Shorter wavelengths from the Sun pass through greenhouse gases, which block some of the longer wavelengths from Earth from escaping into space.
i believe its co2 (carbon dioxide) trapped in the atmosphere, this is what makes a green house hot
hence greenhouse effect
Thanks.
