Humans and industrialization have a direct impact on global warming with the increased production of greenhouse gases.
What is global warming? In short, it is the raise in temperature of Earth’s surface, caused by the gases carbon dioxide, methane, dinitrogen and chlorofluorocarbons. For contrast, oxygen and nitrogen are gases that will not trap heat and are therefore not greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. You see, the sun provides energy in the form of solar radiation; some of the radiation is reflected back into space, what is not is then absorbed by the clouds, the Earth’s surface and the atmospheric gases. As the atmospheric carbon dioxide level increases and more solar radiation is trapped by atmospheric …show more content…
The level of methane in the atmosphere has increased about 150% since industrialization. The molecular structure of methane causes it to trap 20 times more heat that carbon dioxide and methane remains in the atmosphere for about ten years. Dinitrogen oxide is commonly called nitrous oxide, most people recognize this as “laughing gas”. The major sources are from the extensive use of fertilizers, sewage treatment plants, and car exhaust. Dinitrogen oxide in the atmosphere has increased about 15% since industrialization. Dinitrogen oxide released in the atmosphere today will remain there for 150 to 180 years and has a greenhouse effect that is 300 times greater than that of carbon dioxide. Chlorofluorinated gases (CFCs) were used as propellants in aerosol cans and refrigerants in refrigerators and air conditioners. Many countries have banned the production and use of CFCs as they were found to be destroying the protective ozone layer of the …show more content…
At the beginning of the industrial revolution the atmospheric carbon dioxide level was about 280 ppm (parts per million), since then there has been an increase of 40% and is now about 390 ppm. If this level gets to 560 ppm, the surface temperature of the Earth could increase by 2.0 to 4.4 degrees C. The algae in the oceans and the trees in the forests are not able to keep up with this level of carbon dioxide and therefore is unable to utilize it. Most scientists agree that the primary source of the increase of carbon dioxide is the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that could be removed from the atmosphere. In 1990, the global emission of carbon dioxide was 22.7 billion tons; in 2008, it was 31.7 billion tons; and in 2013, it was 36 billion tons. Over 23 years, this is an increase of 59%. One of the biggest challenges is that carbon dioxide emissions have been directly linked to economic growth. Whenever we see an increase in emissions, we will also see an increase in the
What is global warming? In short, it is the raise in temperature of Earth’s surface, caused by the gases carbon dioxide, methane, dinitrogen and chlorofluorocarbons. For contrast, oxygen and nitrogen are gases that will not trap heat and are therefore not greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. You see, the sun provides energy in the form of solar radiation; some of the radiation is reflected back into space, what is not is then absorbed by the clouds, the Earth’s surface and the atmospheric gases. As the atmospheric carbon dioxide level increases and more solar radiation is trapped by atmospheric …show more content…
The level of methane in the atmosphere has increased about 150% since industrialization. The molecular structure of methane causes it to trap 20 times more heat that carbon dioxide and methane remains in the atmosphere for about ten years. Dinitrogen oxide is commonly called nitrous oxide, most people recognize this as “laughing gas”. The major sources are from the extensive use of fertilizers, sewage treatment plants, and car exhaust. Dinitrogen oxide in the atmosphere has increased about 15% since industrialization. Dinitrogen oxide released in the atmosphere today will remain there for 150 to 180 years and has a greenhouse effect that is 300 times greater than that of carbon dioxide. Chlorofluorinated gases (CFCs) were used as propellants in aerosol cans and refrigerants in refrigerators and air conditioners. Many countries have banned the production and use of CFCs as they were found to be destroying the protective ozone layer of the …show more content…
At the beginning of the industrial revolution the atmospheric carbon dioxide level was about 280 ppm (parts per million), since then there has been an increase of 40% and is now about 390 ppm. If this level gets to 560 ppm, the surface temperature of the Earth could increase by 2.0 to 4.4 degrees C. The algae in the oceans and the trees in the forests are not able to keep up with this level of carbon dioxide and therefore is unable to utilize it. Most scientists agree that the primary source of the increase of carbon dioxide is the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation reduces the amount of carbon dioxide that could be removed from the atmosphere. In 1990, the global emission of carbon dioxide was 22.7 billion tons; in 2008, it was 31.7 billion tons; and in 2013, it was 36 billion tons. Over 23 years, this is an increase of 59%. One of the biggest challenges is that carbon dioxide emissions have been directly linked to economic growth. Whenever we see an increase in emissions, we will also see an increase in the