Greenhouse Gases 3

Hello, how are you guys?

From the last blog, I’m sure that you think the first choice is the correct one but what about the choice 3)?

Why I ask 3)? That’s because if 3) is right, that means 2) must be correct as well! And Yes! 3) is right! (Congrats for you who answer it correctly!) I know some of you may confuse (as I used to!) from the lessons we have learnt in class why Ozone, covering the atmosphere and filtering rays of the sun, and water vapor, can cause global warming. Here’s the thing.

                Truly, Ozone (O₃) in the stratosphere helps block perilous ultraviolet (UV); however, it also acts as a powerful greenhouse gas. “Ozone behaves differently at different altitudes. High in the stratosphere and mid-troposphere it has positive effects on life at the surface. At the top of the troposphere ozone is a greenhouse gas and at the surface it makes smog. At middle altitudes between the ground and the stratosphere, ozone captures heat much as carbon dioxide does. In fact, pound for pound, ozone is about 3000 times stronger as a greenhouse gas than CO₂. So even though there’s much less ozone at middle altitudes than CO₂, it still packs a considerable punch. Ozone traps up to one-third as much heat as the better known culprit in climate change.” Patrick L. Barry San Jose Astronomical Association, 2008. Ozone, the Greenhouse Gas. http://ephemeris.sjaa.net/0807/f.html, 28/8/08.

What about water vapor?

The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere exists in direct relation to the temperature. If you increase the temperature, more water evaporates and becomes vapor, and vice versa. So when something else causes a temperature increase (such as extra CO₂ from fossil fuels), more water evaporates. Then, since water vapor is a greenhouse gas, this additional water vapor causes the temperature to go up even further.

How much does water vapor amplify CO₂ warming? Studies show that water vapor feedback roughly doubles the amount of warming caused by CO₂. So if there is a 1°C change caused by CO₂, the water vapor will cause the temperature to go up another 1°C. When other feedback loops are included, the total warming from a potential 1°C change caused by CO₂ is, in reality, as much as 3°C. So, this is why water vapor is the dominant greenhouse gas. (Skeptical Science. How the water vapor greenhouse effect works) http://www.skepticalscience.com/water-vapor-greenhouse-gas.htm

And of course, I guided you on the second blog—the products we use in daily lives—sprayers, refrigerators (together with freezers, cold water dispensers, refrigerated vehicles, cold storage, and large-scale cooling system in frozen food industries), and air-conditioners also lead to global climate change. Actually, the substances which bring about greenhouse effect are not the products themselves, but come from refrigerants, blowing agent and spray-propellants we put in the products. We call it ‘CFC’.