The Greenhouse Effect- Cooking Earth alive

“The Greenhouse Effect”“The greenhouse effect refers to circumstances where the short wavelengths of visible light from the sun pass through a transparent medium and are absorbed, but the longer wavelengths of the infrared re-radiation from the heated objects are unable to pass through that medium” (http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu). In this case the transparent medium are greenhouse gasses.

About 30% of the visible light from the Sun is reflected back into space, while the other

70% is absorbed by the ground and oceans, resulting in heating the Earth. Since the

atmosphere is transparent to visible light, it absorbs little energy from the sunlight and does not make much of a contribution in

heating the Earth.The soil, rocks and water that have been

heated by the sunlight then give off longer wavelength infrared radiation, some of

which is absorbed by the Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These gases include water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2),

methane (CH4) and ozone (O3). Absorption of the infrared radiation heats the atmosphere to acceptable temperatures, provided they

are in the proper proportion.

Types Of Greenhouse Gases

• Carbon Dioxide • Methane • Nitrous Oxide • Water Vapor

Carbon Dioxide• The compound of two oxygen atoms and one carbon atoms

covalently bonded.• At standard temperature and pressure it exists in gas form • Taken in by plants for photosynthesis, released by

consumers during cellular respiration

Carbon Dioxide is released by:

• the burning of fossil fuels (oil, coal, natural gas) especially by factories, power plants, automobiles, machinery

• Solid waste decomposition

• Volcanic Eruptions • Hot Springs

Methane• Composed of two elements- totaling 5 atoms. • 4 hydrogen atoms, one carbon atom

covalently bonded • Methane is about 21 times more powerful at

warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2) by weight

Methane-How it is released• “The number one source of methane worldwide is animal

agriculture. On a global basis, according to the FAO livestock is responsible for some 18% of all greenhouse gases emitted” (EPA.gov).

• Methane concentrations on Earth are widely unknown to scientists- many believe there are large concentrations trapped on the ocean floor, as well asIn arctic ice. This uncertainty is potentially lethal.

Nitrous Oxides

• Composed of two elements – totaling 3 atoms• 2 Nitrogen atoms, one oxygen atom,

covalently bonded• Also used as an anesthetic for patients that

undergo painful surgeries.

How Nitrous Oxide Is released:

• Agricultural Soil Management

• Animal manure management

• Sewage treatment • Combustion of fossil

fuels

• Nitric Acid production • Microbial life in tropical

rainforests

Water Vapor

• Water in gaseous form • Composed of two elements- hydrogen,

oxygen • A total of 3 atoms- two hydrogen, one oxygen

covalently bonded

How Water Vapor is released

• Water Vapor is released into the atmosphere from evaporation. Water from rivers and streams condenses in the atmosphere as clouds trapping other gases contributing to the greenhouse effect.

Rising Levels of Greenhouse Gases

• C02 level increase• The last time C02 levels

were this high was 15 million years ago.

• Methane level increase• Methane levels now are

about 1790 parts per billion (PPB)

Rising Levels of Greenhouse Gases

• Nitrous Oxide level rises• The levels of nitrous

oxide have increased by 20% since 1750

• Water Vapor Level rises• If the Earth warms 1.8

degrees F, increase in water vapor will trap an extra 2 Watts of energy per square meter.

Global Warming Overview

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHFd5kLAwNY

Rise of average temperature since greenhouse gas emissions increased

• Green house gasses, deforestation, and the burning of fossil fuels are responsible for the average temperature rising.

• Land and ocean surface temperatures have risen about 1.33 degrees Fahrenheit in the last century.

• There is a strong correlation between the onset of the industrial revolution in the 19th century and the rise in average temperature since.

Adverse effects rising average temp. has had

• The constantly rising temperature has caused the glaciers and polar ice caps to melt, thus destroying the habitats of the arctic animals.

• An increase in the number of floods due to the melting of the polar ice caps.

• An increase in the strength of storms such as hurricanes.

What higher temperatures constitute

Warmer temperatures in wider spread areas along with more water concentration leads to more favorable environment for malaria carrying mosquitoes. This causes the normally parasitic relationship between mosquitoes and their hosts to also become amenalism.

With water evaporating more rapidly in a warmer environment, the water cycle becomes more unpredictable. Rainfall becomes less frequent, but more abundant at once. This creates a flood/drought cycle which is devastating to human life, as well as animals, plants, and fungi.

Greenhouse Gas’ effect on symbiotic relationships

The sun gives off radiation and it is

release for the sun down to earth

Due to the exorbitant amount of

Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere the

radiation is trapped in the atmosphere

Glaciers and ice caps melt

Water levels rise

Grassland is flooded,

increasing competition for

food on the mainland

Species become

extinct, due the

competition

How Global Warming Creates Competition

• Global warming causes flooding.

• As a matter of fact scientist predict that by the year 2100 the water levels will rise 4 feet!

Grassland will be flooded, due to the increasing water levels. As a result to organisms that need grass to survive, e.g (a rabbit and a cow) will now have to fight over food. This can lead a species becoming extinct.

A symbiotic relationship that will be caused due to global warming is competition. When the water levels rise rabbits and cows will fight for grass, which both consume. This is the symbiotic relationship of competition. This relationship will not exist anymore, if we keep

emitting greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.

Algae

Snail

Turtles

Shark

If water temperatures rise as a result of global warming, sensitive algae could die. If this algae dies, its predators could die as well. Without algae, snails could starve. Without snails, turtles could starve. Also, without snails to produce C02, the symbiotic relationship between elodea could be compromised. The snail creates the elodea’s CO2, and the elodea creates the snail’s O.

Elodea

Biotic/Abiotic factors

Biotic Marine life(fish, mollusks, algae,

plankton,etc.) Land based life (trees, plants, humans,

insects, cats, dogs, birds, snakes, etc.)

Abiotic Sunlight Atmosphere (O-zone) Water temperature Existence of glaciers Air temperature Water levels Existence of land Weather patterns Strength of storms

Al Gore wishes to curtail global warming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnjx6KETmi4&feature=related

Putting out the fire- how we can stop this rampant problem

How to fix this problem:• Solution 1: Phytoplankton, the

microorganisms that form the base of the food web in the ocean, take CO2 from the air and convert it into more complex organic compounds. When the phytoplankton die, they fall to the sea floor, and the carbon they contain becomes trapped in the sediment. If the rate of growth and reproduction of these organisms could be increased, more carbon dioxide would be used by them before it could escape from the ocean into the air. In a 1988 seminar at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Dr. Martin claimed that fertilizing the oceans with 300,000 tons of iron could

remove 2 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

• Solution 2: Reducing use of fossil fuels/energy would considerably reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced, as well as reducing the levels of the pollutants which cause acid rain. This can be achieved by either using less energy altogether. You can help save energy in lots of ways:– Turn off lights when you leave a room– If you have a car, don't use it for short

journeys– Basically, anything at all that uses less

energy

Continued

• Solution 3: Increasing money supply for research of alternative energies

Some alternates include: • Nuclear energy • Hydroelectricity • Wind Power • Solar Power • Geothermal Power

This could: • Create jobs • Stimulate the economy • Save lives • Reduce greenhouse emissions • Make the air clean

• Solution 4: Propose international treaties for limiting C02 emissions (such as the Kyoto Treaty.)

Incentives: Reduce global pollution Reduce greenhouse effect Save wildlife/biodiversity Save lives

Kyoto Treaty • Defined as: “The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to

the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37 industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions .These amount to an average of five per cent against 1990 levels over the five-year period 2008-2012. .“

• “Under the Protocol, 37 countries commit themselves to a reduction of four greenhouse gasses (GHG) (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulphur hexafluoride) and two groups of gases produced by them, and all member countries give general commitments.”

What the average person knows

• 88.2% of survey takers didn’t know what the kyoto treaty was.

• 61.1% incorrectly answered this question: True or false: Besides Afghanistan, Andorra, and South Sudan, the United States was the only country (at its initial adoption) in the United Nations not to approve the protocol?

• 52.9% didn’t know that Canada revoked the kyoto treaty after adopting it

• 38.9% of people didn’t know that scientists predict water levels will rise by 4 feet in 2100.

If you don’t help the cause…• Global Floodinghttp://flood.firetree.net/ • Widespread Disease Outbreaks (“As northern countries warm, disease carrying insects migrate north,

bringing plague and disease with them. Indeed some scientists believe that in some countries, thanks to global warming, malaria has not been fully eradicated.“ (http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/5-deadliest-effects-of-global-warming/276?image=1))

• Increased occurrence of droughts • Economic paralysis • Increased occurrence of wildfires • Stronger Storms (Snow, Rain, hurricanes, lighting, sleet, tornadoes, etc.)• Danger of smog increased • Desertification • Increased power of tidal surges, tsunamis • Increased frequency/power of volcanic eruptions• Increased competition between humans, other organisms and potential diplomatic consequences such as

war • Increase in animal attacks • Malnutrition

Conspiracy Theories

• 2:35-3:50 • http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vapMyAvbsbg

• Regardless of whether or not it is cyclical, we are contributing.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj68uZJ6mW0

• The divide between scientists is insignificant. The warming of the Earth is undeniable.

Our effort collaborates with:

• Deforestation- less trees=less C02 oxygen

• Reduction of overpopulation- more people=more power= more greenhouse gasses

• Reduction of pollution- less organism/biodiversity=less balance

• Recycling- less production=less power=less energy consumption=less C02

• Preservation of biodiversity- trees and other photosynthesizers and their environments are integral to preserving normal levels of greenhouse gasses in the environment