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How Human Activity Affects Greenhouse Gases

How Human Activity Affects Greenhouse Gases. What are Greenhouse Gases. Any gas that has three or more atoms in its structure will act as a greenhouse gas Examples - CO 2 , H 2 O, CFC, CH 4 , but not O 2 or N 2. Deforestation/burning of fossil fuels. Both affect carbon dioxide levels

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How Human Activity Affects Greenhouse Gases

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  1. How Human Activity Affects Greenhouse Gases

  2. What are Greenhouse Gases • Any gas that has three or more atoms in its structure will act as a greenhouse gas • Examples - CO2, H2O, CFC, CH4, but not O2 or N2

  3. Deforestation/burning of fossil fuels • Both affect carbon dioxide levels • CO2 contributes most to the greenhouse effect because of its quantity. • CFC’s are a 100,000 times more effective as a greenhouse gas but theirquanitiy is very low in comparison to CO2

  4. Deforestation/burning of fossil fuels • Carbon Cycle – sinks/reservoirs – oceans • Vegetation e.g. trees • Carbonate rocks e.g. limestone /chalk • Soils • Atmosphere • Fossil fuels (coal, oil, Natural gas)

  5. Major CO2 Releases • Burning coal, oil, gas • Deforestation • Burn trees • Release CO2 • Reduction of trees which absorb CO2 during photosynthesis

  6. Major CO2 Releases • Motor vehicles exhausts • Produce CO2 • Add 7 million tons every year to the atmosphere

  7. Major CO2 Releases • 2/3 – Burning Fossil Fuels • 1/3 – Deforestation • CO2 causes 50% of global warming

  8. Cattle farming/Rice fields • Methane • Produced by anaerobic bacteria • Found in bogs, swamps, marshes, paddy (rice) fields • Digestive systems of cows, sheep, and camels

  9. Methane • 1.7ppm • Compared to CO2 ~400ppm • Accounts for 15% of global warming • 25 times better than CO2 at absorbing infra red radiation • Increasing at a rate of 1% per year • Major contributor = India (cows)

  10. Nitrous oxide -NOx • Burning fossil fuel • Denitrifying bacteria can convert nitrate fertilizers to nitrous oxides. • Nitrogen Cycle • Accounts for 6 % global warming/greenhouse effect

  11. CFC’s - Chlorofluorocarbans • Sources • Propellants in aerosol cans • Coolants in refrigerator • Expanders in plastic insulating foam • CFC’s Account for 22% of global warming • Montreal protocol • CFC’s banned but very long “residence time”

  12. Water Vapor • Very important greenhouse gas but not significantly affected by man

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