The Greenhouse Effect Morgan Park High School温室效应摩根公园高中.pptVIP

The Greenhouse Effect IB Topic 5.2 The greenhouse effect is natural … It’s just intensifying due to human activity and pollution Causing the overall temperature to increase Called Global Warming What is a greenhouse? Walls and roof are made of glass Sunlight penetrates the glass and warms the plants inside Sunlight is not that warm Due to short wavelengths Outer space between the Sun and Earth is hundreds of degrees below freezing Greenhouse (cont.) It’s only when sunlight hits an object that some of the energy is transferred to heat energy Heat energy has longer wavelengths The glass is not as transparent to heat Heat is trapped inside Result: the temperature is greater inside the greenhouse This happens on Earth, too The atmosphere’s ability to retain heat Greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, water vapor Play the role of the glass Less transparent to heat than light As a result: Some of the heat radiated from Earth’s surface is trapped This keeps the atmosphere warm How does it work? 1. Sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere because gases are transparent to light 2. Most sunlight is reflected off of Earth’s surface and travel back out of the atmosphere (that’s why Earth can be seen from outer space) 3. Some of the light energy is transformed into heat energy – warms Earth’s surface – radiate much of the heat back to the atmosphere How does it work? 4. Greenhouse gases retain some of the heat and trap it in the atmosphere 5. Result: Earth’s natural greenhouse effect keeps Earth warmer than outer space The greenhouse gases Carbon dioxide Methane Water vapor Oxides of nitrogen Concentrations of these gases are naturally low Prevents too much heat retention The problem is … Human activity Demands for food, fuel, space = excess production of waste gases Burning fossil fuels (e.g. gas in cars) Organic and commercial fertilizers Industrial processes Methane (CH4) Cooking and heating Cattle ranching Waste disposal in landfills In conclus