Chemistry global warming/ climate change
Greenhouse Warming Potential -- What is it and what does it mean?
A number that represents the relative contribution of a molecule of the atmospheric gas to global warming. Assigned to gases with long lifetimes.
Greenhouse gases—ones naturally responsible for Greenhouse effect, how they keep the earth warm.
About 80% of that radiation that escapes is absorbed by the atmosphere and reradiated (or sent back) to Earth. The trapping and return of the IR radiation is called the greenhouse effect.
How we would like a steady-state for carbon dioxide and why we don't have that today.
Amount of carbon dioxide removed from atmosphere = amount of carbon dioxide released to atmosphere.
IPCC findings in regards to global climate change
Assess climate change data as well as social and economic factors. Scientists work with computer models to predict future changes to climate.
How CO2 is released and absorbed into the atmosphere (naturally)
Decaying vegetation. Exhalation. Decomposition of rocks. Eruption of volcanoes.
Examining the history of the atmosphere
Ice layers in Antarctica contain history Drill and collect ice core samples. Air bubbles are trapped and provide a timeline. Deeper, one drills into the ice, the farther back in time.
• Implications of global warming (what could happen because of it)
Increased amount of CO2 in oceans. Increased temp of oceans -- more CO2 escapes into atmosphere. More water evaporates. Drought and high temps. Reduced yield of crops. Decrease in glacier runoff. Loss of biodiversity.
Greenhouse gases implicated in global warming
Increased amount of CO2 in oceans. Increased temp of oceans -- more CO2 escapes into atmosphere. More water evaporates. Drought and high temps. Reduced yield of crops. Decrease in glacier runoff. Loss of biodiversity.
Different types of radiative forcings
Solar irradiance: the amount of solar energy that arrives at a specific area at a specific time. Albedo: light reflected from surface amount received by surface. Greenhouse Gases:Huge warming effect. Aerosols: liquid or solid particles that remain suspended in the air rather than settling out.
Enhanced Greenhouse effect - What is it
The enhanced greenhouse effect, sometimes referred to as climate change or global warming, is the impact on the climate from the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
How IR radiation interacts with molecules?
UV radiation had enough energy to break bonds. The wavelengths of IR are longer than UV. Has enough energy to cause the bonds in molecule to vibrate. Molecules absorb IR radiation at particular. Undergo stretching and bending vibrations for a while.
Global warming— what is it?
a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, and other pollutants.
Greenhouse effect/how Earth is kept warm
our atmospheric gases trap and return a major portion of the heat radiating from the Earth. It is a natural, necessary process.
What is being done (Kyoto Protocol, sequestration, initiatives, policies regarding global warming)
●Kyoto Protocol established goals to stabilize and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases. ●Binding emission targets for 38 Annex I countries. Annex II countries: developed countries which pay costs of developing countries. Greenhouse gas emission goals. Increased funding for technological changes.
