Describe three of the ways human activities affect the atmosphere?

Answer 1

The effect of human activities on the atmosphere basically come down to pollution. Three examples of effects of pollution on the atmosphere:

• livestock farming: livestock release a considerable amount of methane during digestion (you may laugh, but it's true)
• greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and tropospheric ozone - human activities are increasing concentrations of these substances, which increases the greenhouse effect and causes global warming
• ozone hole: this problem has largely been corrected recently, but chlorofluorocarbons and other human-generated chemicals were preventing the formation stratospheric ozone, which protects life on earth's surface from harmful UV radiation

Some other ways humans affect the atmosphere include:

• deforestation: logging and removal of trees releases carbon and reduces carbon sequestration capabilities of the world's forests
• heating irregularities caused by large cities: large urban areas have what is called a "microclimate" created by the heat and pollution from the city - these microclimates can include temperature inversions, where a layer of smog and warm air from the city is trapped under a blanket of cold air

These are by no means the only ways human activities can affect the atmosphere: there are many more, and some probably haven't yet been identified.