Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases

Global Warming and Greenhouse Gases

The concentration of the atmosphere's main greenhouse gases specifically, carbon

dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor, have increased significantly during the

industrial age. These high concentrations are predicted to continue in the atmosphere for thousands of years to come. This increase in specially carbon dioxide, increases the

infrared energy taken in by the atmosphere, and warming the earth's surface. The Global

mean temperature over the past 150 years has risen between 0.3 degrees C and 0.6

degrees C. Climate changes that have been predicted are based on the continual rise in

Green House Gases. These changes include changes in: increase in mean surface air

temperature, increase in global mean rates of precipitation and evaporation, rising sea

level, and changes in the biosphere.

There are many causes to the rise in Green House Gases in the atmosphere. The

rise in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is largely related to the combustion of fossil fuels and cement production (Hansen). The increase in methane is do to rice cultivation, animal husbandry, biomass burning, and landfills (Kattenberg). Nitrous oxide is on the rise because of industrial sources like adipic acid and nitric acid production (Kattenberg). Other gases not mentioned above that have a small impact on the Green House Gas

proposed problem, is CFC-11 and CFC-12, these Gases are know to the public as being a

big source of warming, although catalyzing decomposition of stratospheric ozone, they

do not pose a great threat. Since the public was notified of these compounds in

refrigerants, spray propellants, and foam blowing; the atmospheric concentrations have

decreased greatly (Prather).

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