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The Chemistry of Climate Change. Increase in CO 2. Atmospheric CO 2 levels have increased 26% since the industrial revolution Total Dry Mass of Atmosphere: 5.13x10 18 kg Average molar mass of the atmosphere: 29 g/mol or 1.8x10 20 moles
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Increase in CO2 Atmospheric CO2 levels have increased 26% since the industrial revolution Total Dry Mass of Atmosphere: 5.13x1018 kg Average molar mass of the atmosphere: 29 g/mol or 1.8x1020 moles Mass of Carbon from fossil fuel combustion per year: 6x1012 kg or 5x1014 moles increase of 5x1014/1.8x1020=2.8 ppmv
Hypotheses: 1. Global Warming is not Occuring 2. Global Warming is Occuring but due to natural cycles 3. Global Warming is Occuring and due in part to human activity
Questions regarding data sets: 1. What are the maximum and minimum values presented? 2. How was the data collected? 3. Where was the data collected? 4. How should the data be interpreted? 5. What data appear to be the most significant indicators or Global Warming? Which data appear to be less relevant?
Houston Summer Months and Number of Days at a Temperature >96o Year June July August September Total 1948 3 14 18 2 37 1954 2 15 14 2 33 1962 0 11 19 1 31 1963 5 8 11 6 30 1969 9 20 9 0 38 1978 1 18 13 0 32 1980 19 25 24 10 78 1982 5 24 14 3 46 1985 3 3 14 5 34 1986 2 20 10 0 32 1988 5 15 16 4 40 1990 14 4 23 4 45 1993 1 16 26 6 49 1994 6 19 4 2 31 1995 7 14 11 11 43 1998 15 30 20 4 69 1999 0 5 29 8 42 2000 0 22 24 7 53 2001 0 7 16 0 23 2002 2 12 5 0 19 2003 4 2 8 0 14 2004 1 8 8 2 19 2005 7 8 7 7 29
Annual Rainfall* in Houston, TX Year Annual Rainfall (Inches) 1900 72.86 1919 72.38 1949 71.19 1973 70.16 1979 83.02 1981 82.14 1997 78.41 2001 71.18 *for years when the annual rainfall exceeded 70 inches
Evolution of Trace Gas Mixing Ratios Preindustrial 1960 1980 1990 CO2(ppmv) 295 315 325 352 CH4(ppbv) 975 1270 1570 1675 N2O(ppbv) 290 300 303 310 CFC-11(pptv) 0 11 173 275 CFC-12(pptv) 0 33 297 468 CFC-113(pptv) 0 0.2 15 51 CFC-114(pptv) 0 0.2 4 7 CFC-115(pptv) 0 0 2 5 CCl4(pptv) 0 75 95 105 CH3Cl(pptv) 600 600 600 600