Global
Warming
how chemicals have hurt the earth
By Jennifer Nucum
Chemistry 106
What is global warming?
Global warming is the
increase of temperature
throughout the entire world.
Some concerns of this issue
include: an increase in the
surface temperature of the
Earth's oceans and an
increase in sea levels
What are the causes of it?
The main cause of global warming is the effect of
greenhouse gases on the earth’s atmosphere
Greenhouse Gases
what is important about it?
Greenhouse gases create a natural greenhouse
effect that the Earth needs. Without these gases,
the Earth would be an unlivable environment
because it would be an estimated 30°C lower.
what type gases are in it?
The primary greenhouse gases are: water vapor,
methane, and carbon dioxide.
Greenhouse Gases
continued
how do the main gases affect Earth?
• water vapor: most abundant in the atmosphere, but is short-term
(can be evaporated or precipitated in a matter of weeks)
• methane: an immediate-term greenhouse gas that can be converted
to carbon dioxide in a period of months to years; heats
the Earth
• carbon dioxide: is a long-term greenhouse gas, and once added to
the atmosphere can remain for hundreds of years;
also heats the Earth
Greenhouse Gases
continued
how does all of this relate to global warming?
Since 1750, atmospheric
concentrations of carbon dioxide
and methane have increased by
31% and 149%. This increase
has led to increased heat, the
melting of icebergs and glaciers,
and even the carbon dioxide sink
of ecosystems.
And these problems are what will contribute to the increase of temperatures around the world, the
increase of surface temperature in the oceans, and increase of sea levels –
all of which will eventually make the world uninhabitable.
How do we contribute to this problem?
People may not realize this,
but as humans, we contribute
to this problem of global
warming everyday.
How?
We do it by getting into our
cars, working at our jobs, etc.
What can we do to prevent it?
In order to decrease carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, one of the
main things we can do is to carpool or take the bus to work. We can
also try to pass a law to regulate how much oil industries can burn
because they too play major roles on the greenhouse gases.
These suggestions are not much, but it’s something we can all start with.
If not, our future great-grandchildren will suffer the consequences and will
literally “swim with the fishes.”