Global warming 2
Global warming 2 --Global Warming
Global Warming, aside from pollution is one of scientists biggest concerns. Global Warming is caused by the Greenhouse effect. There are 4 steps in the Greenhouse effect. 1-Sunlight radiates from the sun, through space, to Earth's atmosphere. 2- The
sunlight enters the atmosphere and hits Earth. Some of it turns into heat energy in the form of infrared light. The heat gets absorbed by surrounding air and land, which in turn makes it warm. 3- Infrared rays, that are remitted into the atmosphere are trapped by greenhouse gases. 4- The gas then absorbs the light and is remitted back to the Earth's surface and warms it even more. Some of the naturally occurring greenhouse gases are
Methane and carbon dioxide. This is the way the Earth keeps itself warm enough for humans to live on it.
The only problem with this is that humans enhance the process even more. Over the past 200 years the emissions of greenhouse gases have been increasing due to the increase in technology that humans have developed (example, factories). These human-induced gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone
depleting substances such as CFCs, also known as Chlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons. These gases are generated a number of human activities such as fossil fuel combustion, waste disposal in landfills, the
use of a refrigerator, numerous agricultural and industrial activities, and the cutting down of numerous forests.
These human practices have already changed the chemical make up of the atmosphere. Between the pre-industrial times and today, we have seen the concentration of carbon dioxide rise 30% in some regions, in particular the northern hemisphere, human practices have increased concentrations of aerosols in atmosphere, which is a traditional form of air pollution), which tends to cool the atmosphere.
With all these gases in the air, it is starting to change the Earth's climate. The temperature of the Earth's surface is as warm, if not warmer than it has been in any other century since at least 1400 AD. The temperature over the past century has risen
one degree Fahrenheit over the last century. These last few decades have been the warmest this century. The sea level has risen 4 to 10 inches, and mountain glaciers world-wide have begun to retreat.
It is important to recognize that with the recent warming and the other climatic changes that have been going on have not been related...
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