Jatinder Natt

Global warming Greenhouse Effect

In todays society people believe in one of to two things, global warming is
due to the fact earth the universe is getting older or it is due to the
greenhouse effect. The people who do believe in the greenhouse effect,
some dont even know what the greenhouse effect is. They just keep saying
it is mostly due to carbon dioxide being pumped in the air by cars and
factories, but dont know how it is related to global warming. They dont even
understand what the words greenhouse effect means.
The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring phenomenon, and works
much like a greenhouse, but on a larger scale. Without the greenhouse effect
it would be too cold for anything to survive on Earth. The greenhouse effect
is related to global warming because it has the ability to trap heat. When
energy known as solar radiation from the sun hits Earths atmosphere, some
energy is reflected back but most of the energy is absorbed. People who are
worry, that snow and ice is melting away are actually worried about more
solar radiation being trapped, because there is less snow and ice to get
reflect the suns rays.
Global warming happens when there are too many greenhouse gases being
put in the atmosphere. Increased greenhouses are mostly caused due to
anthropogenic which has spiked really high over the last couple hundred
years. Greenhouses gases are defined as one that will absorb significant

amounts of infrared radiation. The most abundant greenhouse gases are

water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane. Gases like oxygen, nitrogen, and
argon are not considered greenhouse gases because they do not emit or
absorb infrared radiation. Water vapor is the worst, unfortunately we cannot
live without water, therefor carbon dioxide, methane and a few other gases
are targeted and blamed for global warming.
The solar radiation is emitted from the sun and allowed to freely enter
through the atmosphere and usually bounce back as infrared radiation after
hitting the Earths surface, but due to greenhouse gases some of the infrared
radiation is absorbed by the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, therefore
heating the atmosphere.
In todays world there is about 400 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Every year the carbon dioxide ppm goes up by 2ppm and that rate is slowly
getting bigger. 65 to 85% of the carbon dioxide released in to the air is
dissolved in to the ocean over a period of 20 to 200 years. Over the last few
years ocean acidification has become problematic to marine life. Today the
main human activity that pumps the most carbon dioxide in to the
atmosphere is combustion of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels can make a lots of
energy for cheap, and developing countries like china and Indian have a
growing need and it may be several hundred years before the world is off
fossil fuels.

Methane is another greenhouse gas that has been predicted to go up a lot

more in to the atmosphere in the near future due to the human population
growing at an exponential. Methane is responsible for 20% of the greenhouse
effect.
In conclusion greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere and it only
getting worst as there is increased human activity.

References
"Overview of Greenhouse Gases." Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gases
Overview. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
<http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases.html>
"Greenhouse Gases." David Suzuki Foundation. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
Lallanila, By. "What Is the Greenhouse Effect?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 28
Jan. 2015. Web. 24 Oct. 2015.
"The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect." The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect.
Web. 24 Oct. 2015. <https://www.aip.org/history/climate/co2.htm>