Understanding The Greenhouse Effect And Global Warming
Though the "greenhouse effect" does contribute to the regulation of heat and warmth on our planet
, it sometimes tends to get a bad reputation as the source of global warming. The survival of human beings, along with other organisms like plants and animals on the earth, depends on the energy and warmth that we receive from the sun.
It is hypothesized that approximately thirty percent of the sunlight that is beamed onto the planet is actually reflected back by our surrounding atmosphere. The rest of the heat is able to reach the surface of the planet, but is also reflected back upward slowly and called infrared radiation.
Greenhouse gases absorb the heat that is created; these gases include water vapor, methane, ozone, and carbon dioxide. Though the "greenhouse" substances do not make up very much of the atmosphere, there are the main way that heat is retained; they act as a blanket for the earth and trap heat caused by infrared radiation to warm the atmosphere.
Without this process, we would not be able to sustain life on Earth; scientists have hypothesized that the temperature of our planet would be at least thirty degrees Celsius less than it is now. Though this process is essential to the survival of human beings and the ecosystems, there is such a thing as too much warmth.
Unfortunately, human being's activities have an effect on the atmosphere and disturb the process and natural balance of the greenhouse gases that warm the earth. This is done by all different measures, including the burning of fossil fuels, producing industrial toxins and releasing them into the air, deforestation, land use changes, and population growth.
The more greenhouse type substances that are released into the air, the more infrared radiation is trapped and held in, which can gradually increase the overall temperature of the planet. Scientists have suspected that the warmth of the Earth is actually increasing much more rapidly than they ever expected it to.
However, there are also many that feel like global warming is not worth worrying about and that it will not have a large enough effect on the planet. Some argue that there are even signs that this is a problem.
Researchers have been studying this by all different methods, including examining satellite readings of temperatures all over the world and measuring sea levels and the melting of the ice caps at the poles.
Though there is a divide between most intellectual thinkers and their opinions on global warming, they are able to agree that even a slight increase in the overall temperature of the planet could cause a lot of changes, including some that may threaten life on Earth. Some of these include cloud cover, precipitation levels, weather changes, patterns of wind, storm severity and frequency, and how long the seasons last/how intense the changes are.
It is suggested that many of the world's endangered species would be killed off or become extinct because of the changes to their habitats. The sea levels may also rise, reducing fresh water supplies.
Carbon dioxide emissions are mostly to blame for the changes in the Earth's atmosphere. When fossil fuels are burned, they release a number of different gases into the air, but the main component is carbon dioxide.
This changes the makeup of the air and how we are able to survive and live. Vehicles are mostly to blame for the large amount of this substance in the air, so there has been a recent push to make automobiles more energy efficient.
This can be done through the using of electricity to power them, whether it is obtained from solar cells and solar panels or generators that have been powered by other methods of alternative energy. Though not everyone agrees that global warming is a threat, most scientists do feel that we should change the ways that we receive and use energy, at least for the betterment of the Earth and its future.
Climate changes themselves are inevitable, especially as the population of the world changes. However, ones that are too drastic will definitely change our ways of life and our abilities to survive.
Many nations have begun an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and become more energy efficient by finding alternative forms of energy, as well as recycling, planting forests, and changing their lifestyles so that they can live more "green." The future of the atmosphere is uncertain, but we can do our best now to prevent permanent damage.
by: Terry Daniels
Global Financial Importance Connected With Walmart Free Samples Global Cloud Computing Services Market Outlook Aarkstore Enterprise Annual Forecasting Retail And The Economy 2014 Air Shipping- For Faster And Easier Shipment Process Car Shipping Formalities The Challenges of Marketing in a Global Economy Global Address Book Missing In Outlook 2003 - Look What I Found… Leather Chaps Purchasing Guidelines How 20 Ft Shipping Containers Are Constructed? Global Economy- Now Ireland On The Brink Of Insolvency Controlled Substances And The Pharmacist - Webinar By Globalcompliancepanel Vinyl Chloride Monomer (vcm) Global Supply Dynamics To 2020 - Production From Coal Derivatives Global Contract Catering Market Report 2010 Edition - Market Research Report On Aarkstore Enterp