#Science #Facts #Greenhouse #gases Around 1820th scientists began recording temperatures of greenhouse gases. More details should be included in the historical section. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide. They act like a blanket covering the earth troposphere. Even though GHG are trace elements they are important in supporting life on earth. Earth warms up and gives off energy in a different form known as infrared radiation. This energy travels towards outer space. Some of this energy is being trapped in the atmosphere before it can escape keeping the earth warmer. Greenhouse gases are needed since without them the earth would be very cold. Anthropogenic emissions add extra GHG which accounts to emergence of positive feedback mechanisms from extra added methane, carbon dioxide and others. Carbon dioxide sources include: respiration, fossil fuel burning, land cleaning, and industrial processes. Its natural levels are 390,000 metric tons per year while its anthropogenic sources are 29,600 metric tons per year. Carbon dioxide has a global warming potential of ‘1’. The derivation is included in the separate note. Methane sources include rice paddies, gas drilling, landfills, termites, animals, and more. Its natural levels are 155 millions of metric tons per year while anthropogenic emissions are 350 metric tons per year. Methane has a global warming potential of 22. Sources Brenman Scott, Environment – Science behind the Stories. New York: 2nd edition. 2004. Print Greenhouse Gases: Climate Change, Lines of Evidence: Chapter 3. YouTube. National Academy of Science, n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2014. youtube/watch?v=3JX-ioSmNW8 Mooney, Chris. Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle over Global Warming. Orlando: Harcourt, 2007. Print.
Posted on: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 04:12:06 +0000
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