Greenhouse gases and climate change

Greenhouse effect

• Greenhouse gases

  • Carbon dioxide

  • Methane

  • Water Vapour

  • Nitrogen oxide

• Absorb long wavelength radiation that gets reflected back off the earth, re radiate it in all directions including back at the earth.

• Long wavelength radiation is thermal radiation, heats up the earth.

• Some human activity can affect the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, this includes

  • Deforestation

  • Burning more fossil fuels

  • Agriculture (more farm animals produce more methane through their digestive processes)

  • Creating waste (more carbon dioxide and methane released by decomposition of waste)

Climate change

• Earths temperature varies naturally but recently it has been increasing, this is a consequence of the increasing release if carbon dioxide, which leads to climate change

• Climate change could lead too:

  • Polar ice caps melting = rise in sea levels = increase in flooding

  • Changes in rainfall patterns (too much or too little water), could affect the ability of certain regions to produce food

  • The frequency and severity of storms may also increase

  • Changes in temperature and the amount of water available in a habitat may affect wild species