GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

MADE BY:ANURAG GARG

ROLL NO. 71SOMYA GOELROLL NO.35

MEANING OF GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

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·       The Green house effect:  When energy from the sun enters the Earth’s atmosphere, about a third of it is reflected back to space.  Of the rest, the atmosphere absorbs some, but most of it is absorbed by the surfaces of the earth. ·        Aerosols: these are fine particles and droplets that are small enough to remain suspended in the atmosphere for considerable periods of time.  They both reflect and absorb incoming solar radiation. 

NATURAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE GREEN HOUSE EFFECT·        Changes in Solar

Output: the amount of energy radiating from the earth’s sun is not constant.·        Changes in the Earth’s Orbit: Slow variations in the Earth’s orbit around the sun change where and when energy is received on earth.  This affects the amount of energy that is reflected and absorbed.

HUMAN FACTORS AFFECTING GREEN HOUSE EFFECT        Enhancing the Greenhouse Effect: naturally occurring greenhouse gases, as described above, keep the Earth warm enough to support life. These include the burning of fossil fuels for producing electrical energy, heating and transportation. ·        Land Use Change: As humans replace forests with agricultural lands, or natural vegetation with asphalt or concrete.

·        Atmospheric aerosols: Humans are adding large quantities of fine particles (aerosols) to the atmosphere, both from agriculture and industrial activities. Although most of these aerosols are soon removed by gravity and rainfall, they still affect the radiation balance in the atmosphere. 

PREVENTION OF GREEN HOUSE EFFECT1. Reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Walk, take public transportation or ride your bike instead of driving. Carpool with others whenever possible if you must travel by car. Buy locally grown or produced foods; doing so decreases energy use associated with transportation of these products.

2. Conserve electricity by switching off the TV, computer, radio and lights whenever possible. Unplug electronics from the socket when you are not using them. Use compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, which can reduce energy consumption by approximately 60 percent, in place of incandescent light bulbs.

3. Plant trees; they contribute to the absorption of excess carbon dioxide. Providing shade and windbreaks, trees also contribute to creating even temperatures for buildings, thereby reducing the energy requirement for heating or cooling.

PREVENTIONS

4. Avoid buying heavily packaged items, decreasing the amount of garbage that you contribute. Research conducted by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program suggests that garbage breakdown in landfills is the top source of human-induced methane emissions.5. Keep in mind that heating water requires energy. Reduce your consumption of hot water by washing clothes in cold or warm water. Wait until the dishwasher is full to run it and activate the energy-saving feature if available on your machine. Invest in a low-flow showerhead, which has a lower water flow rate than normal showerheads. Dry your clothes, whenever possible, on a clothesline as opposed to using a mechanical dryer.

6. Reduce nitrous oxide emissions, the majority of which result from agricultural practices. Choose slow-release, low nitrous oxide-emitting fertilizers.

7. Conserve raw materials and energy by recycling or reusing items. Examples include recycling aluminum soda cans and donating or selling old clothing to second-hand stores.

8. Support international global warming legislation. Examples include the Montreal Protocol, which seeks to eliminate the production of CFCs, and the Kyoto Protocol, which aims to limit emissions of the other greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Even though the U.S. did not sign the treaty, much of what was ratified in it will help combat the greenhouse effect.

Causes of the Greenhouse EffectGreenhouse effect has been thought to be

one of the main reasons behind the increase in global warming. But, is it really the culprit, or is there some misinformation on the issue. Let us try to figure that out by knowing about the causes of the greenhouse effect.Greenhouse Effect: Causes1 Deforestation2 Burning fossil fuel3 Electrical appliances4 population growth

1 DeforestationOne of the man-made causes of the greenhouse effect is deforestation. Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Also, due to the disappearance of trees, photosynthesis cannot take place. Deforestation is rampant today due to the burden of our needs on land. The levels of deforestation have increased by about 9% in recent times. Also, the burning of wood causes it to decay, therefore releasing more carbon-dioxide into the atmosphere.

2 Burning of FossilsGreenhouse gases can also be released into the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels, oil, coal and gas. These materials are used increasingly and rampantly in industries. Most factories also produce many gases which last for a longer time in the atmosphere. These gases contribute to the greenhouse effect and also increase the global warming on the planet. These gases are not naturally available in the atmosphere. Therefore industries are also a major cause of the greenhouse effect. 

Population Growth

Population growth is an indirect contributor and one of the major causes of the greenhouse effect. With the increase in population, the needs and wants of people increase. This increases the manufacturing and the industry process. This results in the increase of the release of industrial gases which catalyze the greenhouse effect.

3 Electrical AppliancesOther man-made causes of the increase in the greenhouse effect is the emission of greenhouse gases by electrical appliances. Even the humble refrigerator in the house emits gases which contribute to the greenhouse effect. These gases are known as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and are used in refrigerators, aerosol cans, some foaming agents in the packaging industry, fire extinguisher chemicals, and cleaners used in the electronic industry. Some processes of the cement manufacturing industries also act as a cause towards the greenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that occurs on Earth. Simply put, it keeps the earth warm enough to sustain life. The greenhouse effect is often thought to be a cause of global warming, however it is important to understand it as a separate phenomenon as well. The greenhouse effect is mainly a result of the Sun's energy(sunlight) being absorbed by certain gases present in the atmosphere after it is reflected from the surface of the earth. When the Sun's energy reaches the Earth, around 51% of it is absorbed by the surface and the rest is absorbed or reflected back to space. After reaching a certain temperature, the earth releases infrared heat, which is then absorbed by particular gases. 

FACTS ABOUT THE GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

This energy is then released in all directions, warming the earth's surface and atmosphere. This helps to keep the Earth warm enough to support life. Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth's surface temperature would average around 33 °C cooler than usual. The Earth would almost freeze! The greenhouse effect is also seen in some other planets of the solar system like Venus and Mars. Absorption and Emission of SunlightDispersion of Sunlight PercentageAbsorbed by the Earth's surface 51%Scattered and reflected by clouds 20%Absorbed by atmosphere and clouds 19%Scattered by the atmosphere 6%Reflected by water and land surface 4%

Greenhouse GasesGreenhouse gases play a major part in absorbing and emitting the heat which is re-radiated by the earth. These gases are more capable of absorbing heat that is reflected from the Earth's surface than other gases present in the atmosphere. The main greenhouse gases are ozone, nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor. These are present naturally in the Earth's atmosphere. Along with these gases, clouds also play a part in absorbing and reflecting the heat. Water vapor and clouds contribute most to the greenhouse effect. 

Percentage of Greenhouse Gases in the AtmosphereGas PercentageCarbon dioxide .036%Methane .00017%Ozone .000004%Nitrous Oxide .00003%Water vapour 1 to 4%

Factors that Affect the Greenhouse EffectThe type of surface that sunlight encounters determines the amount of heat that is reflected back. This is known as 'albedo' and also has an impact on the greenhouse effect. For example more heat will be reflected from snow-covered areas than from deserts. Surfaces that are light in colour .

Consequences of the Greenhouse EffectAs more heat gets trapped in the Earth, the planet will become extremely warm, which will in turn, lead to weather changes throughout the world. Since the climatic conditions in which we are living are perfect for our survival, any high increase in temperature can cause drastic changes which can be life-threatening for all living beings on the Earth.Weather: In some parts of the world, due to rise in the winter and summer temperatures, the weather will become very hot. It may rain more in winters, while summers will become extremely hot. In other parts of the world, the effects may be completely opposite, as some areas may get very warm while other may become very cold.

Storms, floods, and droughts are some expected consequences which may affect different areas of the world.Sea Levels: Increase in the temperature may cause melting glaciers, which will increase the water in the seas and oceans, rising the sea levels up to 20 to 40 cm all over the world. People living near the lower coastal areas of the world, like Netherlands and Bangladesh, will be at a higher risk from flooding. As a result, millions of people may have to leave their homes and large areas of farmland may also get destroyed.

Farming: The changes in the weather may also cause changes in the amount of rainfall in different parts of the world. Some places may get heavy rains while in other

places it may not rain at all. Hence, this will affect the crop growth throughout the world, as crops like wheat and rice grow well in higher temperatures, whereas crops like corn and sugarcane may not grow. Therefore, there will be scarcity of food in some parts of the world and people will suffer from hunger.

People: Last but not the least, these weather changes will also bring unwanted changes in our lifestyle. The consequences of these climatic variations on human beings depend on how well we adapt ourselves to the changes, and how much we can do to minimize them.

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