Understanding Global Warming and the Greenhouse Effect
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Questions and Answers

What is the main purpose of this episode of Top Five Things to Know?

  • To explain the concept of global warming and separate facts from scare tactics (correct)
  • To blame human activities for global warming
  • To discuss the opinion of celebrities about global warming
  • To talk about the effects of global warming on polar bears

    • What do gases such as CO2 and CFCs do in the atmosphere?

  • Absorb ultraviolet radiation from the sun
  • Convert heat into light
  • Trap infrared radiation in the atmosphere (correct)
  • Reflect infrared radiation back into space

    • What is global warming?

  • An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere (correct)
  • A decrease in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere
  • A change in the earth's rotation speed
  • A shift in the earth's axis

    • What is the main function of the greenhouse effect?

    <p>To regulate extreme temperature fluctuations on earth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the correct sequence of events in the greenhouse effect?

    <p>Light strikes the earth's surface, heat is generated, and infrared radiation is trapped</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of radiation is converted to heat when it passes through the atmosphere?

    <p>Shortwave radiation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason the greenhouse effect works?

    <p>Because of the presence of gases in the atmosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the current trend in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

    <p>It is increasing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between the Earth's temperature and carbon dioxide levels?

    <p>They have a direct correlation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main factor that determines whether the Earth experiences warming or cooling?

    <p>The concentration of greenhouse gases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a natural factor that contributes to changes in the Earth's temperature?

    <p>Changes in the sun's intensity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are fossil fuels the most popular energy source?

    <p>They are the least expensive to use</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a byproduct of trash decomposition?

    <p>Methane gas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a human contribution to greenhouse gas concentrations?

    <p>Burning of fossil fuels</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is methane gas often released to the air from landfills?

    <p>To prevent dangerous buildup in the landfill</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Global Warming Background

    • Global warming refers to an increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere near its surface, resulting from natural or human causes, which may lead to a change in global climate patterns.

    Greenhouse Effect

    • The greenhouse effect is the normal trapping of the earth's heat in the lower atmosphere, due to the conversion of light into heat as it strikes the earth's surface.
    • Visible light passes through the atmosphere and is converted to infrared radiation (heat), which is then trapped and reflected back to the earth by gases in the atmosphere.

    Greenhouse Gases

    • Greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), water vapor, nitrous oxide (N2O), and CFCs, trap heat in the atmosphere.
    • The concentration of these gases can change, leading to an increase or decrease in the amount of heat trapped.

    Greenhouse Gas Emissions

    • The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen from 315 parts per million (ppm) in 1960 to 391 ppm in 2012.
    • The estimated CO2 concentration during pre-Industrial Revolution times was 280 ppm.
    • Natural causes of greenhouse gases include volcanoes and animal waste, while human causes include combustion of fossil fuels and increased animal waste production from livestock.

    Temperature Fluctuations

    • The average global temperature fluctuates over time, with evidence of past ice ages and warming periods.
    • Scientists have combined data from various sources to create a timeline of the earth's average temperature, showing regular fluctuations.

    Causes of Global Warming

    • Global warming can have natural or human causes, with natural causes including an increase in greenhouse gases and cooling cycles led by a decrease in greenhouse gases.
    • Human contributions to greenhouse gas concentrations include burning fossil fuels and decomposition of trash, leading to an increase in carbon dioxide and methane concentrations.

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    Description

    Learn about the basics of global warming, its causes, and the natural process of the greenhouse effect that affects the Earth's climate.

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