Too much "greenhouse" = global warming.There's always been a "greenhouse effect greenhouse effect: see global warming. greenhouse effect Warming of the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere caused by water vapour, carbon dioxide, and other trace gases in the atmosphere. Visible light from the Sun heats the Earth's surface. " on Earth--at least since humans have been around. Like greenhouse glass that lets sunlight in but blocks warm air from escaping, natural gases like carbon dioxide carbon dioxide, chemical compound, CO2, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is about one and one-half times as dense as air under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. ([CO.sub.2]) in the atmosphere trap the sun's heat and help warm Earth's land and oceans. Without the greenhouse effect, most life wouldn't exist. Earth's average temperature would be -18 [degrees] C (0 [degrees] F). Brrrr! But humans are turning a natural process into a potentially dangerous one. The very fuels the world runs on, like coal and oil, have pumped 30 percent more [CO.sub.2] and other harmful gases into the air in the past 200 years. And that's turning Earth's natural greenhouse effect into global warming global warming, the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution. . Global warming also leads to warmer ocean temperatures and causes seawater seawater Water that makes up the oceans and seas. Seawater is a complex mixture of 96.5% water, 2.5% salts, and small amounts of other substances. Much of the world's magnesium is recovered from seawater, as are large quantities of bromine. to evaporate e·vap·o·rate v. 1. To convert or change into a vapor; volatilize. 2. To produce vapor. 3. To draw or pass off in the form of vapor. 4. in massive amounts. Excessive water vapor rises and sheds even more heat into the air as vapor cools. So the combo of greenhouse gases and evaporating ocean water could spell harmful global warming. 1 Only half of the sun's light passes through the Earth's atmosphere “Air” redirects here. For other uses, see Air (disambiguation). Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earth's gravity. It contains roughly (by molar content/volume) 78% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0. and reaches the surface. Much of that light is converted into heat and transferred to land and water. 2 Naturally occurring carbon dioxide and water vapor in the air keep more than 80 percent of the heat circulating in the atmosphere. 3 The rest of the heat escapes into space. 4 Global warming results when increased carbon dioxide ([CO.sub.2]) from factories and vehicles trap extra heat in the atmosphere. This, along with evaporating seawater, intensifies Earth's natural greenhouse effect. 5 Earth's temperature is rising faster than at any time in the last 10,000 years. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion