The Global Warming in Greenland: Greenhouse Gases 1

Hi everyone,

As I aim to provide the understanding of our severe problem – global warming & its effects to our world, and want you all (from very little kids to our great grandparents in every field of interests!) to become aware of how significantly climate change affects our lives, from now on -- let’s play a game! If you’re right, you’ll get one score. But don’t worry! If you’re wrong, just keep moving to the next question and see how much you know about it.

Now that you know about how greenhouse effect occurs, today I will talk about the greenhouse gases which are the significant factors of global-warming.

First question is what are the greenhouse gases?

1) The gases in a greenhouse.

2) The green gases in a house.

3) Produced by human activities, the gases rise and cover the atmosphere causing global warming.

Greenhouse gases are “those gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface, the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), methane (CH₄) and ozone (O₃) are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. Moreover, there are a number of entirely human-made greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as the halocarbons and other chlorine (Cl) and bromine (Br) containing substances, dealt with under the Montreal Protocol. Beside CO₂, N₂O and CH₄, the Kyoto Protocol deals with the greenhouse gases sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs)” IPCC AR4 SYR Appendix Glossary" (PDF). Retrieved 14 December 2008.

So...if you choose 3), congratulations! You got one score! The major greenhouse gas is Carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide (CO₂), which consists of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms in one molecule and makes up 0.038% of the atmosphere, is mainly emitted from several human activities, such as transportation, electrical generation, and production,. In addition, it can be derived from volcanic eruption, from burning of fossil fuels (e.g. factories and exhaust pipes), as well as from respiration of all living things. Having a light weight, Carbon Dioxide will flow up to the air and cover through the atmosphere. Accordingly, heat from the sun cannot penetrate the atmosphere, but will gradually accumulate itself and can stay in the atmosphere up to a hundred years!