The+Chemistry+of+the+Greenhouse+Effect+II

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=**The Chemistry of the Greenhouse Effect:** = By: Sara Kalinowski and Ellen Cercena

I. Process II. Importance of Process III. Human Influence IV. Chemistry Involved V. Depletion of the Ozone Layer VI. Bovine Flatulence VII. Oceans and Carbon Dioxide levels **

**Sun’s radiation → absorbed by Earth → Re-radiated to space as heat.**
 * Greenhouse gases allow light from the sun to enter the atmosphere surrounding the Earth. When that sunlight hits the planet, some of it is reflected back toward space as heat. The greenhouse gas in the atmosphere traps the heat not allowing it to escape back into space. The temperature of earth have been steadily rising for decades.

Sun’s Radiation → absorbed by Earth → some re-radiated to space as heat and some trapped by the atmosphere

Carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor in the atmosphere retains the sun’s radiation and warms up the planet.** media type="custom" key="3062544"


 * The sun is the Earth’s primary energy source. About one third of this solar energy is reflected back into the universe by water and other objects . Two thirds are absorbed by the Earth, warming land, oceans, and atmosphere.Much of this heat radiates back out into space, but some of the heat is stored in the atmosphere. This process is called the greenhouse effect. If we did not have the greenhouse effect, the Earth’s average temperature would be -18 degrees Celsius, even with the sun’s constant energy supply.**




 * When the process of Greenhouse effect takes place it causes the atmosphere to trap more heat and energy at Earth's surface and within the atmosphere by absorbing and re-emitting energy. Since Greenhouse effect increases the temperature it causes the oceans to evaporate more water which causes the atmosphere to become cloudier. This reflects a greater amount of the sun's energy back to space which reduces the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the atmosphere and earth's surface.**



 We use coal, oil and natural gas to do many needed tasks. We use them to generate electricity, heat our homes, power our factories and run our cars. Since these fossil fuels contain carbon, when they are burned and combine with oxygen, it creates carbon dioxide. The more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the more rapidly the temperature will increase.**
 * There has been an increase in the atmospheric concentrations which is mostly a cause of the three man made greenhouse gases. The admittance of Carbon Dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have all risen. The increase will continue you for another 100 years.

IV. Chemistry involved:
**Carbon dioxide** ** Carbon Dioxide is the most important gas, it accounts for 55% of the change in the intensity of the Earth's Greenhouse effect. The increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is mostly due to what we as humans do. The major sources of this gas include fossil fuel combustion for industry and transportation. This is about 65% of the extra carbon dioxide that is now in our atmosphere. **


 * Methane** ** Methane concentration has increased more then 150%. Methane comes from rice cultivation, domestic grazing animals, landfills, coal mining, and oil and gas extraction. Scientist believe that rice paddies is a large part of producing methane because this crop has doubled since 1950. Grazing animals release methane because of their herbaceous digestion, scientist believe this has more then tripled in the last decade. Landfills organic waste decomposes over time and produces methane. When coal, oil, and natural deposits are excavated or drilled they release methane. **


 * Nitrous oxide** ** Nitrous Oxide in the atmosphere is increasing by .2 every year this is because of land use conversion, fossil fuel combustion, biomass burning, and soil fertilization. Nitrous oxide is a main source from forest conversions by turning grassland ecosystems into agricultural fields and range land. Also when burning fossil fuels and biomass nitrous oxide is released. **


 * Chlorofluorocarbons** ** Chlorofluorocarbons is the strongest greenhouse gas per molecule, but they have a low concentration in the atmosphere therefor reducing their importance in the greenhouse effect. **


 * Tropospheric ozone** ** has been reduced because of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. Most of the ozone is created as a by product of photochemical smog. **



Chemistry the Central Science
**In 1970, Paul Crutzen showed that naturally occuring nitrogen oxides destroy the ozone. In 1974 F. Sherwood Rowland and Mario Molina came to a conclusion that chlorofluorocarbons deplete the ozone layer. These substances are the substances that are used in propellants and spray. These substances are insoluble, which means they cannot be removed from the atmosphere since they are not dissolving in rain or the ocean's water. Since the substances are insoluble, they make their way through the atmosphere and eventually diffuse into the stratosphere. There are now said to be several million tons of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. C--Cl bonds are much weaker than C--F bonds. Therefore, chlorine atoms form more readily, increasing the temperature in the atmosphere. With so much of the chlorine bonds in the atmoshpere, the catalyzed decomposition of 0 3 to 0 2 takes place very often. 2 O3(g)---cholrine--->3 O2 (g)**

__VI. Greenhouse Effect Related to Bovine Flatulence__
http://climate-jigsaw.wikispaces.com/Chemistry of Bovine Flatulence **The Greenhouse effect relates to Bovine Flatulence mainly because Methane is one of the leading greenhouse gases. Cows are not the only cause of methane, men are also at fault for producing methane into the atmosphere. You might not know that Methane is one of the leading gases causing the greenhouse effect. While carbon dioxide is known as the principal greenhouse gas, methane gas is also one of the principle gases. Compared to Carbon Dioxide, Methane is more than twenty times as effective at trapping heat within the atmosphere. By trapping heat in the atmosphere it is causing global warming to get worse. Methane concentration has increased to more then 150%. There are many other causes of Methane but grazing cattle are partially to blame due to the fact that they have a herbaceous digestion. If they were not just plant eaters maybe the amount of methane they produce would subside.**

VII. Oceans and Carbon Dioxide Levels
http://climate-jigsaw.wikispaces.com/Oceans+and+Carbon+Dioxide+Levels** Carbon Dioxide is the number one gas involved in the chemistry of the Greenhouse effect. It has the hightest percentage in the atmoshpere and is continously growing. The oceans play a important role in removing CO2 from the atmoshphere. The greenhouse effect relys on CO2 to trap heat inside the atomoshpere not allowing it back into space. Trapping heat inside the atmoshphere causes global warming. Once the CO2 enters the ocean it can no longer trap heat inside the atmosphere. Once the CO2 enters the Ocean it starts to react with the water to form carbonic acid. Once it forms carbonic acid it can no longer leave the ocean. Only Oceans take CO2 from the atmoshphere, tropical waters actually release CO2 back into the atmoshphere. The oceans are definitly helping regulate the number one greenhouse gas (CO2). **

Works Cited "General Overview: The Greenhouse Effect." 2007. __University of California__. San Diego. 17 Jan. 2009 .

Thilo, Kunzemann, ed. "What is the Greenhouse Effect?" 30 Apr. 2007. __Allanz__. 17 Jan. 2009 

"Greenhouse Effect." __Bookrags__. 17 Jan. 2009 .

Pidwirny, M. (2006). "The Greenhouse Effect". //Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 2nd Edition//. Date Viewed. [|http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7h.html] [|[[http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7h.html|l]]] [|one]  __ Human Influence." 2000.  __  GHG online __ . 17 Jan. 2009  __ . Brown, Theodore L., H. E. LeMay, Jr., Bruce E. Bursten, and Catherine J. Murphy. __Chemistry the Central Science__. 11th ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009.