How would the temperature on earth be affected if the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere changed?

Answer 1

It would make the greenhouse effect stronger.

Answer 2

The greenhouse effect, either the natural base rate that keeps our earth from freezing over or the enhanced effect attributable to manmade emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and methane), absorbs heat from sunlight and releases it to the total atmosphere which in turn keeps the earth warmer than it would be with a strictly oxygen, nitrogen argon atmosphere.

At balanced levels (carbon dioxide in from decomposition and other sources equal the carbon dioxide out to various sinks) the temperature stays constant. With an over abundance of carbon dioxide the level goes up and the temperature rises.

Increased GHGs and subsequent temperature increases is essentially an under damped system. This means:

• slightly higher temperatures melt some ice
• less ice means a lower albedo in the arctic and antarctic reducing the Earth's reflectivity , meaning the Earth accepts more solar heat (doesn't reflect light) and warms up.
• a warmer arctic region allows for permafrost melting which releases methane, More methan (a GHG) absorbs more heat warming the Earth further.
• Warmer air and ocean temperatures release water from the ice caps and glaciers as the air and oceans heat up.
• Less saline water from the ice melt and warmer water are less dense and change the ocean currents so they travel in different patterns.
• Ocean currents define land temeratures (warming or cooing breezes) and rainfall. Some ares become cooler or warmer, drier or wetter.
• Warmer drier areas become desertified and support less vegetation. This drought reduces the carbon sink provided by forests and grasslands. More carbon remains in the air as a GHG to heat the air further. This excaberates the previously noted concerns.
• Cooler wetter areas are not as productive, reducung plant growth.
• Warmer oceans contain less oxygen and support fewer fish, combined with changes in farm productivity (see above) the population has to move to avoid famine, This uses land in new areas for urban development and cropland at the expense of forests and grass land (both original uses sequester carbon from the air) so the carbon dioxide content goes up increasing global atmospheric heat intake.

Answer 3

Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide, a powerful greenhouse gas, out of the atmosphere. If there were enough plants and trees then the greenhouse effect would be reduced.

Answer 4

Cooler global temperatures