Greenhouse Effect And The Hole In The Ozone Layer

Greenhouse Effect and the Hole in the Ozone Layer

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The Greenhouse Effect

The earth’s climate is predicted to change because human activities are altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the build up of greenhouse gases – primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.

Energy from the sun drives the earth’s weather and climate, and heats the earth’s surface. This causes the earth to radiate the energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (water vapour, carbon dioxide, and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat similar to the glass panels of a greenhouse.

Without this natural “greenhouse effect,” temperatures would be much lower than they are now, and life as known today would not be possible. Instead, thanks to greenhouse gases, the earth’s average temperature is a more hospitable 24 C. However, problems may arise when the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases increases.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30%. Methane concentrations have more than doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have risen by about 15%. Due to the concentrations increasing the heat-trapping capability of the earth’s atmosphere is enhanced.

Greenhouse gas concentrations are increasing. Scientists generally believe that the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are the primary reason for the increased concentration of carbon d...

Greenhouse Effect And The Hole In The Ozone Layer

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