Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases
- Created by: Julia V
- Created on: 21-06-18 21:31
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- Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases
- Greenhouse Gases like Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Water Vapour act like an insulating layer in the Earth's Atmosphere.
- Allows the Earth to be warm enough to support life.
- Greenhouse Gases don't absorb the INCOMING SHORT WAVELENGT RADIATION from the Sun - but they do absorb the LONG WAVELENGTRADIATION that gets reflected back off the Earth.
- Then they re-radiate it in all directions - including back towards the Earth.
- The long wave radiation is THERMAL RADIATION, so it results in warming of the surface of the Earth - Greenhouse Effect.
- Human Activities that Affect the Amount of Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere
- DEFORESTATION - fewer trees = less CO2 removed from atmosphere via photosynthesis
- Burning Fossil Fuels - 'locked up carbon' is released as CO2.
- Agriculture - more FARM ANIMALS produce more METHANE through their digestive processes.
- Creating Waste - more LANDFILL SITES = more CO2 and METHANE released by DECOMPOSITION of waste.
- Extra CO2 from human activity is causing an unnatural increase in global temperature which can lead to CLIMATE CHANGE.
- Consequence of Climate Change
- Polar Ice Caps MELTING - rise in sea levels, increased flooding in coastal areas and coastal erosion.
- Frequency and Severity of storms may increase.
- Changes in temperature and amount of water available may affect WILD SPECIES, leading to differences in their distribution.
- Greenhouse Gases like Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Water Vapour act like an insulating layer in the Earth's Atmosphere.
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