Greenhouse Effect(Global Warming)

Is it hot in here? Or is that just me?

The Greenhouse Effect

• Sun heating the ground and water.• This energy is then released as infrared

energy (longer wavelength)• Infrared is then released to space,

however, greenhouse gases in our atmosphere trap some of that energy to make the earth warmer.

Greenhouse Gases

• When there are more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere more infrared gets trapped.

• The most important or most abundant greenhouse gas is CO2 or carbon dioxide.

• CO2 is produced when we burn fossil fuels to produce energy and products!

• CO2 stays in the atmosphere from 50 to thousands of years!

Other Greenhouse Gases:

• Methane CH4• Produced by raising livestock• Producing and transporting natural gas• Mining coal• Released through melting permafrost• Released from landfills

Methane stays in the atmosphere for about 12 years!Methane traps about 20 time more heat than the same amount of CO2

Nitrous Oxide

• Burning Fossil Fuels• Farming practices that add extra nitrogen to the soil. Certain bacteria live in the soil and turn this nitrogen into nitrous oxide.• Stays in the atmosphere for about 114 years.• Traps about 298 times more heat than the same amount of CO2.• N2O