THE WATER CYLE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Among the most serious Earth science and ecological approach issues challenging society are the potential changes in the Earth’s water cycle because of environmental change. The science community agrees that the climate of Earth is now changing due to natural variability; it includes solar variability and increasing concentration of greenhouse gases. Moreover, it is noticed that these changes may strongly affect atmospheric water vapor concentrations, precipitation, runoff and stream flow patterns.
Climate change raises the risk of both extreme droughts and heavy rains. Science has demonstrated that climate change touches each side of our planet’s ecosystem and the water cycle is also a part of ecosystem. As the processes involved are profoundly reliant on temperature, changes in one have outcomes on the other. In particular, global temperatures have increased and it …show more content…
Acid rain effects the water cycle by bringing the acidic properties that are water soluble (mainly sulfur oxide) to the ground. The water cycle itself is not harmed by acid rain, as only the rain part is acidic. The acid is absorbed into the ground and becomes part of the ocean or soil. If the ocean becomes too acidic however, the cycle can become very acidic; as ocean evaporation would potentially contain acidic properties that would rain down again.
Oxidation
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides enter the atmosphere via emissions from the combustion of sulfur-containing fuels, such as oil and coal, and through the smelting of sulfur-containing ores, such as copper, lead and zinc. Scientists now know that high concentrations of nitric acid and sulfuric acid in rain is caused by atmospheric oxidation of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, and that these acids enter the water cycle as they are oxidized in cloud droplets and in the raindrops themselves.
Sulfur
Among the most serious Earth science and ecological approach issues challenging society are the potential changes in the Earth’s water cycle because of environmental change. The science community agrees that the climate of Earth is now changing due to natural variability; it includes solar variability and increasing concentration of greenhouse gases. Moreover, it is noticed that these changes may strongly affect atmospheric water vapor concentrations, precipitation, runoff and stream flow patterns.
Climate change raises the risk of both extreme droughts and heavy rains. Science has demonstrated that climate change touches each side of our planet’s ecosystem and the water cycle is also a part of ecosystem. As the processes involved are profoundly reliant on temperature, changes in one have outcomes on the other. In particular, global temperatures have increased and it …show more content…
Acid rain effects the water cycle by bringing the acidic properties that are water soluble (mainly sulfur oxide) to the ground. The water cycle itself is not harmed by acid rain, as only the rain part is acidic. The acid is absorbed into the ground and becomes part of the ocean or soil. If the ocean becomes too acidic however, the cycle can become very acidic; as ocean evaporation would potentially contain acidic properties that would rain down again.
Oxidation
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides enter the atmosphere via emissions from the combustion of sulfur-containing fuels, such as oil and coal, and through the smelting of sulfur-containing ores, such as copper, lead and zinc. Scientists now know that high concentrations of nitric acid and sulfuric acid in rain is caused by atmospheric oxidation of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, and that these acids enter the water cycle as they are oxidized in cloud droplets and in the raindrops themselves.
Sulfur