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Essential idea: Essential idea: Concentrations of gases in the atmosphere affect climates experienced at the Earth’s surface.
By Chris Paine
https://bioknowledgy.weebly.com/
The greenhouse effect is accepted scientific theory. There are certain gasses in the atmosphere cause the sun's heat to be trapped and allow the surface of the planet to warm. Without it the surface of the planet would be too cold for life to exist. To explain the images are quotes from NASA:
"Left: 1880-1889. Right: 2000-2009. These maps compare temperatures in each region of the world to what they were from 1951 to 1980 ... Two-thirds of the warming has occurred since 1975, at a rate of roughly 0.15 to 0.20 °C per decade”. These changes in temperature correlate with changes in CO2 levels. CO2 is now at a record high of 400 ppm.
4.4 Climate change
http://climate.nasa.gov/images/ImageLarge-61.jpg
Understandings, Applications and Skills
Statement Guidance
4.4.U1 Carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most
significant greenhouse gases.
4.4.U2 Other gases including methane and nitrogen oxides
have less impact.
The harmful consequences of ozone depletion do
not need to be discussed and it should be made
clear that ozone depletion is not the cause of the
enhanced greenhouse effect.
4.4.U3 The impact of a gas depends on its ability to absorb
long wave radiation as well as on its concentration in
the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour
should be included in discussions.
4.4.U4 The warmed Earth emits longer wavelength radiation
(heat).
4.4.U5 Longer wave radiation is absorbed by greenhouse
gases that retain the heat in the atmosphere.
4.4.U6 Global temperatures and climate patterns are
influenced by concentrations of greenhouse gases.
4.4.U7 There is a correlation between rising atmospheric
concentrations of carbon dioxide since the start of the
industrial revolution 200 years ago and average global
temperatures.
4.4.U8 Recent increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide are
largely due to increases in the combustion of fossilized
organic matter.
4.4.A1 Threats to coral reefs from increasing concentrations of
dissolved carbon dioxide.
4.4.A2 Correlations between global temperatures and carbon
dioxide concentrations on Earth.
4.4.A3 Evaluating claims that human activities are not causing
climate change.
4.4.U1 Carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most significant greenhouse gases.
4.4.U2 Other gases including methane and nitrogen oxides have less impact.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
The Earth is kept much by gases in the atmosphere that retain heat. These gases are referred to as greenhouses gases.
The greenhouse gases that have the largest warming effect on the Earth are:• carbon dioxide (below)• water vapour (e.g. clouds)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/04/climate_change/html/greenhouse.stm
Other gases including methane and nitrogen oxides have less impact.
nitrogen oxides are released naturally by bacteria in some habitats and also by agriculture and vehicle exhausts.
Greenhouse gases together make up less than 1% of the atmosphere.
4.4.U1 Carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most significant greenhouse gases.
4.4.U2 Other gases including methane and nitrogen oxides have less impact.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
The Earth is kept much by gases in the atmosphere that retain heat. These gases are referred to as greenhouses gases.
Q – why is the surface of the Earth warmer at night if there is cloud cover?
4.4.U1 Carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most significant greenhouse gases.
4.4.U2 Other gases including methane and nitrogen oxides have less impact.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
The Earth is kept much by gases in the atmosphere that retain heat. These gases are referred to as greenhouses gases.
Q – why is the surface of the Earth warmer at night if there is cloud cover?
The water droplets in clouds retain heat during the day and at night re-radiate the heat back to the surface
4.4.U1 Carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most significant greenhouse gases.
4.4.U2 Other gases including methane and nitrogen oxides have less impact.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
The Earth is kept much by gases in the atmosphere that retain heat. These gases are referred to as greenhouses gases.
Q – why is the surface of the Earth warmer at night if there is cloud cover?
Q – why is the surface of the Earth cooler when there is more cloud coverage.
The water droplets in clouds retain heat during the day and at night re-radiate the heat back to the surface
4.4.U1 Carbon dioxide and water vapour are the most significant greenhouse gases.
4.4.U2 Other gases including methane and nitrogen oxides have less impact.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
The Earth is kept much by gases in the atmosphere that retain heat. These gases are referred to as greenhouses gases.
Q – why is the surface of the Earth warmer at night if there is cloud cover?
Q – why is the surface of the Earth cooler when there is more cloud coverage.
The water droplets in clouds retain heat during the day and at night re-radiate the heat back to the surface
The water droplets in clouds reflect a range of different wavelengths of radiation in both directions (including radiation coming inward that would have been re-emitted as heat*).
*Although clouds make the surface of the Earth cooler in the short term. They do not stop the greenhouse effect, it is just delayed or slowed down.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
4.4.U3 The impact of a gas depends on its ability to absorb long wave radiation as well as on its
concentration in the atmosphere.
impact of a greenhouse gas
abundance in the atmosphere
Ability to absorb long-wave radiation
(especially infrared/heat)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
4.4.U3 The impact of a gas depends on its ability to absorb long wave radiation as well as on its
concentration in the atmosphere.
impact of a greenhouse gas
abundance in the atmosphere
rate of release persistence
Ability to absorb long-wave radiation
(especially infrared/heat)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoldenMedows.jpg
4.4.U3 The impact of a gas depends on its ability to absorb long wave radiation as well as on its
concentration in the atmosphere.
impact of a greenhouse gas
Ability to absorb long-wave radiation
(especially infrared/heat)
abundance in the atmosphere
rate of release persistence
Water vapour enters the atmosphere very rapidly, but only remains for days whereas CO2 persists for years.
Methane has 33 times the effect of CO2 (but is not very abundant)
CO2 is very abundant making up 400 ppm by volume of the atmosphere (0.04%)
4.4.U4 The warmed Earth emits longer wavelength radiation (heat).
4.4.U5 Longer wave radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases that retain the heat in the
atmosphere.
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/globalcarboncycle.html
The surface of the Earth absorbs short-wave solar energy and re-emits at longer wavelengths (as heat).
Approx. 25% of solar radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere.
Approx. 75% of solar radiation penetrates the atmosphere and reaches the Earth’s surface.
Up to 85%* of re-emitted heat is captured by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
*This value, though variable, is known to be rising; very likely the result of human activities.
Heat passes back to the surface of the Earth, causing warming
How the greenhouse effect works
1
2
3
4
5
4.4.U4 The warmed Earth emits longer wavelength radiation (heat).
4.4.U5 Longer wave radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases that retain the heat in the
atmosphere.
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/globalcarboncycle.html
The surface of the Earth absorbs short-wave solar energy and re-emits at longer wavelengths (as heat).
Approx. 25% of solar radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere.
Approx. 75% of solar radiation penetrates the atmosphere and reaches the Earth’s surface.
Up to 85%* of re-emitted heat is captured by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
*This value, though variable, is known to be rising; very likely the result of human activities.
Heat passes back to the surface of the Earth, causing warming
How the greenhouse effect works
1
2
3
4
5
4.4.U4 The warmed Earth emits longer wavelength radiation (heat).
4.4.U5 Longer wave radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases that retain the heat in the
atmosphere.
How the greenhouse effect works
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_green_house_effect.svg
(this diagram quantifies the effect in Watts / m2)
4.4.U4 The warmed Earth emits longer wavelength radiation (heat).
4.4.U5 Longer wave radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases that retain the heat in the
atmosphere.
Use the animations/tutorials to improve your understanding and find out more.
How the greenhouse effect works
http://www.damocles-eu.org/education/Animation_about_the_greenhouse_effect_182.shtml
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/greenhouse.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/04/climate_change/html/greenhouse.stm
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/globalcarboncycle.html
4.4.U7 There is a correlation between rising atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide since the
start of the industrial revolution 200 years ago and average global temperatures.
http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-book/co2problem.htm
Key points• global temperatures
show large variations (for various reasons)
• (despite this) there is strong support for correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide and global temperatures
Evidence for a correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and average global temperatures
4.4.A2 Correlations between global temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations on Earth.
Analysis of the gas content of the bubbles gives both the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the air temperature (from oxygen isotopes) at the time ice was formed.
To deduce historic carbon dioxide concentrations and temperatures ice cores are drilled in Antarctic ice sheets
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GISP2_team_photo_core37.jpeghttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GISP2_1855m_ice_core_layers.png
Vostock ice core (pictured) drilled at a Russian monitoring station in East Antarctica is an example of an ice core.
A cylinder of ice was collected by drilling from to the bottom of the Antarctic ice sheet. The total length of the core was 2083 meters.
The core shows annual layers, which can be used to date the air bubbles trapped in the ice.
4.4.A2 Correlations between global temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations on Earth.
http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-book/co2problem.htm
Evidence for a correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and average global temperatures
Key points• The correlation is
supported by ice core data over the last 400,000 years
• Temperature shows greater variation than CO2
• Most, but not all rises and falls in CO2 have correlated with temperature rises and falls
• The same trend has been found in other ice cores.
n.b. Vostock is a Russian monitoring station in East Antarctica
4.4.A2 Correlations between global temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations on Earth.
http://oceanworld.tamu.edu/resources/oceanography-book/co2problem.htm
Evidence for a correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and average global temperatures
Key points• The correlation is
supported by ice core data over the last 400,000 years
• Temperature shows greater variation than CO2
• Most, but not all rises and falls in CO2 have correlated with temperature rises and falls
• The same trend has been found in other ice cores.
n.b. Vostock is a Russian monitoring station in East Antarctica
4.4.U8 Recent increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide are largely due to increases in the
combustion of fossilized organic matter.
http://radioviceonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/knorr2009_co2_sequestration.pdf
Industrial revolution has started
Large increases in usage of fossil fuels
The link between human emissions and atmospheric levels of CO2
Key points• There is a strong correlation
between human emissions and atmospheric levels of CO2
• As atmospheric CO2 levels have increased the amount of CO2 absorbed by carbon sinks has increased (only about 40% of emissions have remained in the atmosphere)
4.4.U6 Global temperatures and climate patterns are influenced by concentrations of greenhouse
gases.
Global average temperatures are not directly proportional to greenhouse gas concentrations. Other factors, e.g. sun spot
activity, have an impact global average temperatures
increases in greenhouse gas concentrations will likely cause:• higher global average temperatures• more frequent and intense heat waves• some areas becoming more prone to droughts• some areas more prone to intense periods of rainfall and flooding• tropical storms to be more frequent and more powerful• Changes to ocean currents, e.g. weakening of the Gulf Stream would
mean colder temperatures in north-west Europe
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hurricane_Elena.jpg
4.4.A1 Threats to coral reefs from increasing concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide.
Ocean acidification – the causes and effects
http://www.sumanasinc.com/webcontent/animations/content/acidification.html
Research indicates that, by 2100 coral reefs may erode faster than they can be rebuilt. This could compromise the viability of these ecosystems and the (estimated) one million species that depend on coral reef habitat.
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3F
http://youtu.be/5cqCvcX7buo
http://youtu.be/GL7qJYKzcsk
http://youtu.be/Wo-bHt1bOsw
4.4.A1 Threats to coral reefs from increasing concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide.
The ocean absorbs about 25% of the CO2 emitted into the atmosphere. Therefore as atmospheric CO2 increases so do the levels in the ocean.
Ocean acidification – the causes and effects
http://pmel.noaa.gov/co2/files/hitimeseries2.jpg
Since 1800 the pH of seawater* has fallen by 0.1 pH units. Since the pH scale is logarithmic, this represents approx. a 30% increase in acidity.
Estimates of future CO2 levels, indicate that by 2100 seawater could be nearly 150% more acidic (a further decrease of 0.5 pH) to a level not seen for more than 20 million years.
*seawater refers to the surface of oceans which are affected more than the depths.
4.4.A1 Threats to coral reefs from increasing concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide.
When CO2 dissolves in water it forms a variety of molecules:• dissolved free CO2
• carbonic acid (H2CO3)• bicarbonate (HCO−3)• carbonate (CO3
2−)
Ocean acidification – the causes and effects
Carbonate ions are not very soluble, therefore the concentration in seawater is low. Dissolved CO2 decreases the carbonate concentration further.
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/files/oareaction_med.jpg
It is not just the creation of carbonic acid that affects pH; when bicarbonate and carbonate ions are formed H+ ions are released thus decreasing the pH of seawater
4.4.A1 Threats to coral reefs from increasing concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide.
Ocean acidification – the causes and effects
At risk Benefit
Marine calcifying species, including oysters, clams, sea urchins, shallow water corals, deep sea corals, and calcareous plankton.*
Photosynthetic algae and sea grasses
Need to absorb carbonate ions from seawater to make the calcium carbonate in their skeletons.
Low CO2 is a limiting factor for photosynthesis
*Shelled organisms are often keystone species and therefore the entire food web may also be at risk.
The pteropod is a tiny sea creature about the size of a small pea. Pteropods are a major food source for many animals including North Pacific juvenile salmon. The photos below show what happens to a pteropod’s shell when placed in sea water with pH and carbonate levels projected for the year 2100.
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/What+is+Ocean+Acidification%3F
4.4.A3 Evaluating claims that human activities are not causing climate change.
http://www.skepticalscience.com/
Many claims that human activities are not causing climate change have been made in the media, whether it be in newspapers, on television or on the internet.
It is important to realise that not all sources are trustworthy and it is important to know the motivation of those publishing claims on either side of the debate.
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Climate Change Debate
http://youtu.be/cjuGCJJUGsg
