Why is the earth getting warmer?

Extra greenhouse gases in our atmosphere are the main reason that Earth is getting warmer. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane, trap the Sun's heat in Earth's atmosphere.

It's normal for there to be some greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. They help keep Earth warm enough to live on. But too many greenhouse gases can cause too much warming.

Which of the following is TRUE?

What are greenhouse gases?

Greenhouse gases are gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat. They let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but they prevent the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. The main greenhouse gases are:

• Water vapor (H₂O)

• Carbon dioxide (CO₂)

• Methane (CH₄)

• Ozone (O₃)

• Nitrous oxide (N₂O)

• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Which of the following is true about greenhouse gases?

Overall, greenhouse gases are a good thing. Without them, our planet would be too cold, and life as we know it would not exist. But there can be too much of a good thing. Scientists are worried that human activities are adding too much of these gases to the atmosphere.

If there were not greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, why would that be a problem?

Just as too little greenhouse gas makes Earth too cold, too much greenhouse gas makes Earth too warm. Over the last century, humans have burned coal, oil, and gasoline in our cars, trucks, planes, trains, power plants, and factories. Burning such fossil fuels produces CO₂ as a waste product. Putting so much new CO₂ into the air has made Earth warmer. If we continue on our current path, we will cause even more warming.

When there is an increase in greenhouse gases, what happens to the Earth's temperature?

Over the last century, humans have burned coal, oil, and gasoline in our cars, trucks, planes, trains, power plants, and factories. Burning such fossil fuels, known as combustion, produces CO₂ as a waste product.

What human activity is causes the biggest increase in the amount of greenhouse gases?

Based on the diagram above, what greenhouse gas is found in the greatest amount?

The graph above shows where the majority of greenhouse gases come from. Based on this, what 2 things release the most greenhouse gases?

The majority of greenhouse gases come from electricity. While renewable energy is rapidly growing it still only accounts for 10-15% of the total energy supply. The remaining 90-85% comes from burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. That's right, power plants burn fossil fuels (called combustion) to create the electricty powering your house!

Why does the creation of electricity release greenhouse gases?

24% Agriculture:

Most of these emissions are from the farming of crops & livestock (cows, pigs, chickens).

Irrigation practices, synthetic fertilizers, and the breakdown of nitrogen in livestock manure (poop) and urine result in the emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O). Nitrous oxide (N₂O) molecules stay in the atmosphere for 114 years, and they are 300x more powerful than carbon dioxide. A third of the agriculture emissions come from methane (CH₄). Livestock produce methane (CH₄) as a part of their normal digestive process. Their manure (poop) adds to both nitrous oxide and methane emissions.

Which of the following is NOT true?

As we have seen, carbon dioxide it the greenhouse gas that is being released at highest rate and in the largest amounts. What 2 processes help to remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere?

Use the website to fill in the chart.

Use the website to fill in the chart. Where is it found (location)?

Draw a diagram and label to explain the greenhouse effect.

Which step of the carbon cycle is the most involved in global climate change?

How does deforestation affect the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere?

How does the ocean affect the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere?

What does the exchange do to the oceans?

Explain how the industrial revolution has increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

How is carbon dioxide primarily released?

What is the global warming potential of CO₂?

Besides oil & gas, how else is methane release?

What is the global warming potential of CH₄?

What released carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide?

What is the global warming potential of N₂O?

What is NOT TRUE about Fluorinated gases?

Which two greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere the longest?

Which greenhouse gas has the biggest impact on global warming potential? (look at the last column)