The Chemistry of Global

Warming

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Chapter 3 Chemistry
in Context

Page 1

Global Climate Change

Mean annual global temperature,19602003

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Definition
the accelerated warming of earth's atmosphere
that is believed to result from a buildup of one or
more greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide,
methane, and nitrous oxide) due to human
activities
=
the increase in average global temperatures
the scientific
evidences

What are ?

the
effects

the role of
chemistry in
understanding
role of human
activities

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Difference
GLOBAL WARMING
is the increase of the
Earths average
surface temperature
due to a build-up of
greenhouse gases in
the atmosphere.

CLIMATE CHANGE
is a broader term that
refers to long-term
changes in climate,
including average
temperature and
precipitation.

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Effects of Global Warming

Rising Sea Level

Increased Temperature

Habitat Damage and

Species Affected

Changes in Water Supply

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Venus has an average temperature of

450C; Its atmosphere contains 96 % CO2

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Earths Energy Balance

Shorter
wavelengths are
yellow; longer
are red

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Suns Energy which Reaches Earth

Ultraviolet (UV);
Visible (vis);
Infrared (IR);

8%
39 %
53 %

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Greenhouse Effect; Return of ~81 % of Reradiated Energy Back Towards Earth

Chemistry; The Science

in Context; by Thomas R
Gilbert,Rein V. Kirss, and
Geoffrey Davies, Norton
Publishers, 2004, p335

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Molecular Vibrations: Energy

Absorption by Greenhouse Gases

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Major Greenhouse Gases:

Carbon Dioxide & Water

CO2 absorption spectrum : strong peaks at 15 um and 4.26

m (both of which are in the thermal IR but radiation from
earth not very strong in 4-5 m region)
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CO2 absorbs
the radiation
in the 14-16 um region
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Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Increases the average global temperature above the
optimal amount due to an energy return greater than
81%.

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Gases
Greenhouse Gases

NOT Greenhouse
Gases

Carbon dioxide; CO2

Water; H2O
CFCs
Nitrous Oxide; N2O
Methane; CH4

Nitrogen; N2
Oxygen; O2
Argon; Ar

why ?
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Review: How to draw Lewis structures

1. Determine the sum of valence electrons Draw Lewis Structures for:
CH4
2. Use a pair of electrons to form a bond O2
between each pair of bonded atoms
3. Arrange the remaining electrons to
satisfy octet rule (duet rule for H)
4. Assign formal charges

SO2

C2H4

SO42-

CO

H2SO4
N2--------------------------------NO3O3

Formal charge = # of v.e. [# of non-bonding e- + bonding e-]

or, F.C. = # of v.e. [# of bonds to the atom + # non-bonding e-]
Remember: Resonance, relative lengths and bond order!

3.3

Representations of methane
CH4 = molecular formula; does not express connectivity

Structural formulas show how atoms are connected:

Lewis structures

show connectivity

This Lewis
structure is
drawn in 3-D

Space-filling

Chargedensity

3.3

The 3-D shape of a molecule affects ability to

absorb IR radiation.
Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory
Assumes that the most stable molecular shape has the
electron pairs surrounding a central atom as far away
from one another as possible

3.3

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory

Consider methane (CH4), where the central carbon
atom has 4 electron pairs around it:

Four electron pairs as far from each other as

possible indicates a tetrahedral arrangement.

A tetrahedral
shaped
molecule has
bond angles
of 109.5o.

3.3

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory

The legs and

shaft of a
music stand
are like the
bonds of a
tetrahedral
molecule.

3.3

The central atom (O) in H2O also has four

electron pairs around it,

but unlike methane, two electron pairs are

bonding and two are non-bonding.

The nonbonding
electron pairs
take up more
space than
bonding pairs,
so the H-to-Oto-H bond
angle is
compressed.

The electron pairs are tetrahedral arranged, but

the shape is described only in terms of the atoms
present: water is said to be bent shaped.
3.3

We can use the VSEPR model to allow us to

predict the shape of other molecules.
Number of electron pairs
around central atom

Shape of molecule

Bond
angle

4 electron pairs, all bonding:

CH4, CF4, CF3Cl, CF2Cl2

tetrahedral

109.5o

4 electron pairs, three

bonding, one non-bonding:
NH3, PCl3

Triangular pyramid

about 107o

4 electron pairs, two

bonding, two non-bonding:
H2O, H2S

bent

about 105o

Other predictions can be made based on

other electron pair arrangements .

3.3

Now look at the central atom of CO2:

Two groups of four

electrons each are
associated with the
central atom.
The two groups of
electrons will be 180o
from each other: the
CO2 molecule is linear.

3.3

Molecular geometry and absorption of IR radiation

Molecular vibrations in CO2. Each spring represents a C=O

bond.
(a) = no net change in dipole - no IR absorption.
(b, c, d) = see a net change in dipole (charge distribution), so
these account for IR absorption

3.4

The infrared spectrum for CO2

As IR
radiation is
absorbed, the
amount of
radiation that
makes it
through the
sample is
reduced

3.4

The infrared spectrum for CO2

Wavenumber (cm-1) = 10,000

wavelength (mm)

3.4

Molecular response to different types of radiation

3.4

How to study
global warming
Ice core data
Ice Core data is used to infer
temperature from deuterium content
and estimate CO2 concentrations for
air bubbles

Athmospheric
concentration

CO2

Over very long periods of time; CO2

concentration has increased when
average global temperature has
increased.

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There are
Seasonal
Fluctuations
in Carbon
Dioxide
Concentration

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Over very long

periods of time; CO2
concentration has
increased when
average global
temperature has
increased.

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Carbon Dioxide Concentration has

Increased since 1870

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Ice core data and CO2 concentration

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Carbon Dioxide Cycle

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Fig.03.20

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Mole: SI definition: the number

equal to the number of carbon atoms
in exactly 12 g of pure C-12.
Atomic number

Mass number

Avogadros
number is

6.022 x 1023

A mole of atoms of any element has a

mass (in grams) equal to the atomic
mass of the element
amu.cycle
The in
carbon
3.7

6.022 x 1023

Atomic number

Mass number

One mole of carbon has a

mass of 12.01 grams;
1 mol C = 12.01 g

If you have 36.03 g of carbon, how many moles is that?

mol C = 3.0 mol C
36.03 g C x 112.01
gC

The carbon cycle

3.7

Keep these relationships in mind:

grams

use
molar
mass

moles

use
Avogadros
number

molecules

Remember the critical link between moles

and grams of a substance is the molar mass.

3.7

Chemistry behind Global Warming

Calculate the number of molecules in 4.53 moles of
carbon dioxide. 2.73 x 10 24
Caffeine has the formula C8H10N4O2. How many
molecules are in 10.0 g of pure caffeine? (The molar
mass of C8H10N4O2 is 194 g/mol.) 3.1 x 1022
How many grams of CO2 are needed to be sure of
having exactly 3.0 x 102 mol of CO2? 1.3 x 104 g
How many atoms are in 0.35 mol of CO2?

6.3 x 1023

Chemistry behind Global Warming

Avogadro's number is 6.0 x 1023. If we have a sample
that contains one mole of carbon dioxide, how many
atoms of oxygen are contained in that sample?
12 x 1023

CO2 emission sources from fossil fuel consumption

Deforestation contributes another 1-2 bmt/year

3.5

Amplification of Greenhouse Effect:

Global Warming:
What we know
1. CO2 contributes to an elevated global temperature.
2. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has
been increasing over the past century.

3. The increase of atmospheric CO2 is a

consequence of human activity.
4. Average global temperature has increased
over the past century.

3.2

What might be true:

1. CO2 and other gases generated by human activity are
responsible for the temperature increase.
2. The average global temperature will
continue to rise as emissions of anthropogenic
greenhouse gases increase.

3.9

The snows of Kilimanjaro

82% of ice field has

been lost since 1912

3.9

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Recognizing the problem of potential global climate change,
the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
established the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) in 1988. It is open to all members of the UN and
WMO.

3.9

3.9

Kyoto Protocol - 1997 Conference

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) certified the scientific basis of the
greenhouse effect.
Kyoto Protocol established goals to stabilize and
reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases.

Emission targets set to reduce emissions of six

greenhouse gases from 1990 levels.
(CO2, CH4, NO, HFCs, PFCs, and SF6)

Trading of emission credits allowed.

3.11

The Kyoto Protocol, an international and legally binding

agreement to reduce greenhouse gases emissions world wide,
entered into force on 16 February 2005.

Notable
country
who has
not signed

3.11