Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts.
Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and certain synthetic chemicals, trap some of the Earth's outgoing energy, thus retaining heat in the atmosphere. This heat trapping causes changes in the radiative balance of the Earth—the balance between energy received from the sun and emitted from Earth—that alter climate and weather patterns at global and regional scales.
Multiple lines of evidence confirm that human activities are the primary cause of the global warming of the past 50 years. However, beginning in the late s, the net global effect of human activities has been a continual increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. This change in concentrations causes warming and is affecting various aspects of climate, including surface air and ocean temperatures, precipitation, and sea levels. Human health, agriculture, water resources, forests, wildlife, and coastal areas are all vulnerable to climate change.
Many greenhouse gases are extremely long-lived in the atmosphere, with some remaining airborne for tens to hundreds of years after being released. These long-lived greenhouse gases become globally mixed in the atmosphere and their concentrations reflect past and recent contributions from emissions sources worldwide. Others, like tropospheric ozone, have a relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas CO 2 equivalents Description Water vapor 0 The most common greenhouse gas is actually water vapor, like in clouds.
So as the planet warms, we will tend to have more water in the atmosphere at a time—and that does heat the planet. Methane 25 The number-two cause of climate change is methane, the main part of natural gas. Methane reflects about times as much heat as CO 2 , but its lifetime in the atmosphere is much shorter: about 10 years. Instead, they come from livestock, changes in forests and wetlands, and leaks from gas wells and pipes. Nitrous oxide Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas that lasts for over years in the atmosphere.
It is best known as laughing gas, but that kind of commercial use makes up only a tiny part of our emissions. By far the biggest way we add nitrous oxide to the atmosphere is by growing crops with nitrogen-based fertilizers. Photo Credit. The major Greenhouse Gas, carbon dioxide, emitted naturally and by the burning of fossil fuels, stays in the atmosphere a long time.
Its warming effect occurs even when the sky is clear and dry. The result is called Global Warming because on average, the Earth and our oceans are warming up, and climate is changing as the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continue to build up. Scientists have known and understood this for over years, and it has been confirmed by measurements and in laboratory experiments.
Also in Oil and petroleum products explained Oil and petroleum products Refining crude oil Where our oil comes from Imports and exports Offshore oil and gas Use of oil Prices and outlook Oil and the environment. Also in Gasoline explained Gasoline Octane in depth Where our gasoline comes from Use of gasoline Prices and outlook Factors affecting gasoline prices Regional price differences Price fluctuations History of gasoline Gasoline and the environment.
Also in Diesel fuel explained Diesel fuel Where our diesel comes from Use of diesel Prices and outlook Factors affecting diesel prices Diesel fuel surcharges Diesel and the environment. Also in Heating oil explained Heating oil Where our heating oil comes from Use of heating oil Prices and outlook Factors affecting heating oil prices. Hydrocarbon Gas Liquids. Natural gas. Also in Hydrocarbon gas liquids explained Hydrocarbon gas liquids Where do hydrocarbon gas liquids come from?
Transporting and storing Uses of hydrocarbon gas liquids Imports and exports Prices. Also in Natural gas explained Natural gas Delivery and storage Natural gas pipelines Liquefied natural gas Where our natural gas comes from Imports and exports How much gas is left Use of natural gas Prices Factors affecting natural gas prices Natural gas and the environment Customer choice programs.
Also in Coal explained Coal Mining and transportation Where our coal comes from Imports and exports How much coal is left Use of coal Prices and outlook Coal and the environment.
Renewable sources. Renewable energy. Biofuels: Ethanol and Biomass-based diesel. Also in Hydropower explained Hydropower Where hydropower is generated Hydropower and the environment Tidal power Wave power Ocean thermal energy conversion.
0コメント