Co2 Emission
Co2 Emission
An issue of major concern is the possible effect of the burning of fossil fuels and other contributors to the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We owe our presence on Earth to carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases. CO2 helped stabilise temperatures to levels suitable for life. The action of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in trapping infrared radiation is called the greenhouse effect. This occurs when heat energy from the sun passes through the atmosphere and warms up the Earth. In turn, the Earth radiates this energy back towards space. The greenhouse gases – water vapour, methane, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and CO2 – absorb some of this energy and emit it in all directions, including back towards Earth. The Earth's surface is about 34ºC warmer as a result. It may measurably increase the overall average temperature of the Earth, which could have disastrous consequences.
Because the potential consequences of global warming in terms of loss of snow cover, sea level rise, change in weather patterns, etc are so great, it is a major societal concern.
The runaway effect results in a chain reaction loop where sea surface temperature increases, leading to increased atmospheric water vapor that leads to more trapped thermal energy. If the rising temperature approached the boiling point of water, the oceans would begin to convert to water vapor, the water vapor would increase the effectiveness of heat trapping and accelerate the greenhouse effect, this would cause the temperature to rise further, thus causing the oceans to evaporate faster. This would cause the temperature increase to ‘run away,’ causing more and more water loss through evaporation from the ocean.
When the amount of energy rises on the Earth’s surface, more water evaporates. The water that evaporates returns to the Earth as rain. The mounting radiant energy on the surface of the Earth therefore explains the increase in rainfall.
People have become...