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Global Warming
Global Warming is the century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth's surface, oceans, and atmosphere due to an increase in the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels or from deforestation trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth. This warming is causing climate patterns to change.
11,528 Questions
How much warmer is the earth because of human impact on the greenhouse effect?
Average global temperatures rose by around 0.75 degrees during the twentieth century. The Kyoto Protocol set a target of limiting further rises to no more than 2 degrees Celsius, but the International Energy Agency now says that this target is no longer achievable.
What reservoirs does carbon stay the shortest amount of time?
Carbon stays in the atmosphere for the shortest amount of time compared to other reservoirs, typically a few years. This is because carbon in the atmosphere can be absorbed by plants during photosynthesis, or dissolved in oceans, and then cycled back relatively quickly.
What would happen to a civilization if the climate changes and rivers dry up or changes course?
When a river dries up the flora and fauna that are related to that river die or find a new habitat, and a predator of an animal or plant that lived on the river would die or leave as well because its main food source is gone. The watershed of that river would loose a lot of water making the entire area near that river dry up and lose much of its vegetation.
Where is the majority of the water stored in the hydrosphere?
The majority of the water in the hydrosphere is stored in the oceans. Oceans hold about 97% of the Earth's water, with the rest found in glaciers, ice caps, rivers, lakes, and groundwater.
What is a result of an increase in the earth's rotation rate?
An increase in the Earth's rotation rate would result in shorter days and faster sunsets. This could potentially impact weather patterns and ocean currents due to changes in the Coriolis effect. Additionally, it may have subtle effects on the Earth's gravitational field.
Will Carbon dioxide blanket disappear?
Hopefully, the atmospheric carbon dioxide will never totally disappear: we rely on it to keep the world at a comfortable temperature suitable for human existence, and without it the world would be at least 30 degrees Celsius colder. The additional carbon dioxide that man has been pouring into the atmosphere since the eighteenth century could be absorbed by the oceans over a period of several thousand years, and thereby 'disappear'. Since we can not wait several thousand years forthe earth to return to normal, all we can do is begin now to limit our greenhouse gas emissions and hope we have acted in time.
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Every time any human - or animal! - takes a breath, we're generating carbon dioxide.
Every tree and green plant takes IN carbon dioxide, and secretes oxygen. We animals and those plants are in a symbiotic relationship; we can't get along without each other. If there was no carbon dioxide, all the plants would die - and then so would we!
respiratory muscles, causing an increase in breathing rate and depth to eliminate excess carbon dioxide and restore normal levels. This process helps maintain blood pH levels within a narrow range and ensures proper oxygen delivery to tissues.
What is a Priests hand-warming ball of hot water called?
That is called a hot water bottle. It is a container filled with hot water that is used to provide warmth or heat to the body, particularly the hands.
What is possibly true about global warming?
Answer:
Global warming has been identified as a major issue for the global community. More properly this is called "Global Climate Change" as some areas may be warmer, some cooler, some wetter, some drier.
Background:
The contention of the larger number of climatologists is that human activities since the industrial revolution have increased the content of CO2, methane and other gases in the atmosphere that trap solar heat. At the same time human activities have reduced the forest cover that had traditionally absorbed these same materials. They state that an increasing level of these atmospheric constituents has lead to a chain of chemical and physical changes that have increased the world's average temperature.
Observations of atmospheric gas composition, average sea water temperatures, atmospheric temperatures etc. confirm the trends and support the proposition.
Potential Impacts:
1. The sea levels may rise. Technically this may be caused by melting ice from the polar ice caps or an increase in sea height as the less dense water is less compressed. Low lying land like many Pacific Islands and Miami will be under water.
2. Serious climate changes may result from diverted ocean currents. As an example, the Gulf Stream keeps Europe warm. If the Stream is not running Europe may be much cooler and drier. Crops may not grow.
3. Ecology changes on the land could include species of animals and plants extending their range to the polar regions. Local flora and fauna may become extinct. A good example is the spread of Africanized bees and Fire Ants. Sea life may also be impacted both through the introduction of competitive species presently kept in other areas by water temperature changes, and by failure to adapt to less saline water.
4. Human society may be disrupted if changes in rainfall and temperature cause crop failure. Famine refugees may require significant humanitarian attention by the "lucky" nations.
Conflicting opinions?
Yes indeed, some people don't agree!
However, the problem breaks down into two potential scenarios. Either there is a basis for fear about climate change, or, there isn't.
If Climate Change isn't real and we do nothing - good! Except of course many of the problems that science has identified and blamed as causing Climate Change are just plain wastes of resources, and inefficient and uneconomical practices that should be addressed anyway. A polluted, climatically steady world with no fish and no oil will be no fun at all.
If Climate Change is not real and we do all the things that we should - reduce emissions, cut fuel use, re-establish forests - we're out money (maybe) but in general the world is a better and more sustainable place.
If Climate Change is real and we do nothing - we are dead or at least very miserable.
If Climate Change is real and we work to correct all our bad habits we might still be in trouble ... if it's too little and too late, but we'll go down fighting. If we succeed we live.
Do cold air masses have higher or lower air pressure than warm masses?
Yes. Cold air masses have higher density, because the molecules are closer together. That makes them have higher pressure because there is more mass per unit volume pressing down.
The molecules are closer together because they are colder, and, with less energy, which is the same as temperature, they vibrate less, so that causes them to move closer together.
Can money help with global warming?
Yes.
Enough money would convince the power companies to stop burning coal and use renewable energy sources instead, like solar, water, wind and geothermal.
Enough money would convince people and countries to stop cutting down forests but to plant them again.
Enough money would stop the car and airplane industries to stop using fossil fuel to power their machines but to instead develop electrical motors that will use renewable energy.
Sadly, people are not prepared to spend that money, or if they are, then very slowly.
How will greenhouse gas affect the ocean?
The main direct effect of greenhouse gas on the ocean is increased acidity. As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise, more carbon dioxide is dissolved in the surface waters of the oceans. Dissolved carbon dioxide is carbonic acid, and increased levels have been detected in the water. This is believed to be responsible for coral bleaching. There is very little interchange between the warmer waters close to the surface and the deep ocean waters, but over a period of thousands of years, the dissolved carbon dioxide will eventually move to the lower waters, enabling the oceans to remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Indirectly, because greenhouse gases raise the temperature of the earth, the ocean also warms and expands. This has been partly responsible for rising sea levels, although the melting of the ice caps and glaciers also plays a part.
Why have governments not solved global warming?
Slowing down and eventually stopping global warming is a long and difficult process that must involve all of us, not just the governments of the world. Nevertheless, some governments have made some tentative steps towards solving the problem. The European Union has implemented a carbon trading scheme that is expected to encourage businesses to move to a low carbon economy. Britain has gone much further and is expected to reduce its greenhouse gas emission quite substantially over the next few years. The Australian government has encouraged the installation of domestic solar hot water systems, solar power cells and home insulation, as well as phasing out the sale of incandescent light bulbs, encouraged households to look for an efficiency rating when purchasing new appliances, and has proposed a carbon tax.
The governments of the world have not yet stopped global warming, but some are willing to take the initiative in moving towards that solution.
Which federal program hired young men to do jobs such as planting trees and?
Civilian Conservation Corps. was a federal program initiated by FDR during the Great Depression in an effort to put more men to work. The CCC did a lot of work in National Parks.
Is The Heartland Institute biased?
The Heartland Institute does not believe that man is causing climate change. It does not believe that smoking causes lung cancer.
- Oil and gas companies have contributed to the Heartland Institute.
- ExxonMobil donated over $600,000 between 1998 and 2005.
- Heartland has received donations from tobacco companies Philip Morris, Altria and Reynolds American.
- The Heartland Institute pays Robert M. Carter $1,667 per month, (Carter, a professor of geology, not climate science, writes and speaks against climate change).
- Anthony Watts, a meteorologist who disagrees with climate change, received a payment of $90,000 from Heartland.
In their book Merchants of Doubt, Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway wrote that the Heartland Institute was known "for its
- persistent questioning of climate science,
- for its promotion of 'experts' who have done little, if any, peer-reviewed climate research,
- and for its sponsorship of a conference in New York City in 2008 alleging that the scientific community's work on global warming is fake."
In February 2012, leaked documents revealed Heartland's plans to disseminate a new school curriculum aimed at "dissuading teachers from teaching science."
In May 2012, Heartland launched a poster campaign comparing Unabomber and Osama Bin Laden to those concerned about global warming. Part of its press release stated:
- "The people who still believe in man-made global warming are mostly on the radical fringe of society. This is why the most prominent advocates of global warming aren't scientists. They are murderers, tyrants, and madmen."
Most people would agree that The Heartland Institute is biased.
Are ammonia factories the cause of global warming?
Ammonia factories can be a contributing factor to global warming due to the production of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide during the manufacturing process. However, they are not the sole cause of global warming, as there are multiple sources of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.
Do human farts cause global warming?
Yes.
According to FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS study "LIVESTOCK'S LONG SHADOW" (2006), Using a methodology that considers the entire commodity chain, it estimates that livestock are responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, a bigger share than that of transport (cars, boats, planes, trains).
See the link below.
Can geothermal energy help reduce the effects of global warming?
Yes, any electricity generated by renewable energy (solar, wind, water, hydro, tidal and wave, geothermal, ocean thermal, biomass, biofuel and hydrogen) reduces the amount produced by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas).
Can ramipril tablets cause creatine levels to rise?
Yes, Ramipril, an ACE inhibitor used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, can rarely cause an increase in creatinine levels. Creatinine is a waste product produced by muscles, and a rise in levels may indicate kidney dysfunction. It's important to monitor kidney function regularly when taking Ramipril.
Which human activity doea not affect the earth system?
It is challenging to identify any human activity that does not affect the Earth system in some way. However, simple personal activities such as sleeping or sitting quietly may have minimal direct impact on the broader Earth system.
How might agriculture be affected by global warming?
Agriculture already has been affected by global warming. The growing season in certain northern states has increased by 17 days (on average) since the middle of the 19th century. Crops have been shifting to higher latitudes. Some crop species will have to adapt to lower angles of sun light.
For more southern latitudes, we may need to design better drought reistant crops. Agave will possibly become a more common crop in the southern US, sparking a boom in tequila production.
Where greenhouse occurs what it is the origin?
There have always been greenhouse gases keeping the planet comfortable for life. They are part of the water cycle and the carbon cycle. Greenhouse gases hold back some of the sun's heat to keep the planet from freezing.
The greenhouse effect that scientists are worried about now is the enhanced, or accelerated greenhouse effect, which has been warming the planet steadily for the last 200 years, since man started burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). Burning these releases extra carbon dioxide that has been stored away for millions of years in the coal and oil. This extra carbon dioxide is causing the present greenhouse effect.
What adds to the greenhouse effect?
Human activities such as burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), deforestation, and industrial processes release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat from the sun, leading to an increase in the Earth's temperature, known as the greenhouse effect.
What is the green house effected?
here is a short essay i have done on this recently:
Carbon dioxide has an atomic weight of 44.0095 amu. 79% of Earth's air is nitrogen, weighing 14.00674 amu. That covers a very, very big and thick area. Carbon, being heavier than nitrogen, can't even go above that layer of nitrogen to the ozone! Therefore, the carbon can't get to the ozone, being among Nitrogen, to harm it. Plus, many people say that the carbon reflects light that bounced off earth back down to Earth. But it's not like it's a one way window! It reflects in both directions, proving as much a help as harm. This neutralizes its "bad" effects. The same goes for the ozone. It doesn't just bounce light off, in traps it too. This shows that the ozone does as much a harm as a help, so having less of it doesn't make a difference. Holes in the ozone? Or natural sunspots? You choose what to believe.
Did you know that only about a hundred years ago we experienced a miniture ice age? Between 1800-1900 our sunspots on Earth had dramatically decreased. Earths internal temperature had also decreased by 10% compared to previous records. There never was a "normal" average temperature since they seem to constantly be falling and rising, but now they are rising. In spite of this, we still aren't much warmer than around 1600. So are we actually hotter than usual or just warming up from our mini ice age? Still, people insist on blaming themselves instead of nature just because that's what the scientists and professionals say. If you look at graphs, they will only show you temperatures from the last hundred years, but nothing before that! And who's to say temperature isn't coming from the internal temperature of Earth, instead of the sunspots?
Another interesting fact is that about when global warming ideas were introduced, oil came into play. Cars were made in 1885 first by Kerl Benz, which at the time were named "motor wagons". 40 years later cars started to really be used on a large scale. Only 40 years after that, global warming was announced to be in effect. Only 40 years of automobiles used on a large scale. And at this time, most of the world wasn't in their best time period, so many people couldn't afford cars. Most people had only one if they were rich. That is nothing near how many there are are today. Surely, if it took forty years only for maybe only a few million cars to have a big enough impact to be noticed, than the billions that we have today should have an extreme impact. Yet, there has been the same acceleration of warming, even with all of our cars, trains, planes, boats, helicopters, power plants, and everything else that use gas. Sure, we have more advanced and more "clean" technology, but the numbers of what we have are just too large to actually make a slower acceleration. Yet we keep on the same speed.
If you ask me why we have been told this, I find the government to blame. It would be a very simple yet effective plot they could use. The cause: money. Gas prices were getting high and lower population from the gases emitted from cars. This lowers both tax income from residents and uses money to buy gas. If they simply corrupt scientists into believing global warming is true and supply them with the bad side of things rather than good, those scientists can publish global warming in effect and people would believe them. If you think about it, no one ever really judges professionals or scientists, even if the theories don't make sense. If the public believes that they NEED to stop global warming, there will be more striving towards inventions lessening gas usage, and in turn the prices. Also, more efficiency and less pollution detracts less people than more pollution. In other words, the government can increase tax income (more potential residents) and spend less money importing gas. You may be sitting here thinking that they aren't possibly that devious. But we only choose our president and governers. It isn't us choosing the rest and who's to say what they are like? And you must notice that there are more than one just one person in the government. there are many, and with combined brains, can figure this out.
What is the source of carbon dioxide in fossil fuels?
- The largest source of CO2 emissions globally is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas in power plants, automobiles, industrial facilities and other sources.
- A number of specialized industrial production processes and product uses such as mineral production, metal production and the use of petroleum-based products can also lead to CO2 emissions.
- Carbon sequestration is the process by which growing trees and plants absorb or remove CO2 from the atmosphere and turn it into biomass (e.g., wood, leaves, etc.). Deforestation, conversely, can lead to significant levels of CO2 emissions in some countries.
- Carbon dioxide can be captured from power plants and industrial facilities before it is released into the atmosphere, and then injected deep underground.
The figure below displays a breakdown of sources of CO2 emissions in the U.S. in 2006. By far the largest source is fossil fuel combustion:
