What are greenhouse gases?
The greenhouse gases, Trap the heat from the sun on the earth surface causing the temperature of the earth to rise.
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon in which the sun’s heat is trapped near the earth’s surface by a group of gases called ‘greenhouse gases’. This gas is thought of as a thick blanket wrapped around the planet, making it warmer than it would otherwise be.
Included in this group are carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and water vapor. Water temperature plays a different role in growth in response to increased temperature—a phenomenon known as ‘feedback’. This means that it intensifies the warming initially caused by other greenhouse gases, thereby strengthening the whole.
When atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases exceeds the natural levels, the natural greenhouse effects are enhanced, causing a wide range of chaotic changes in Earth’s. This rise in greenhouse gases triggers global warming and climate change.
Effects of Greenhouse Gases
- Increased temperatures: One of the direct effects of adding greenhouse gases is the rise in temperatures.of earth. This heat is not always evenly distributed around the world; Some areas may also experience stronger changes than the others.
- Extreme weather: Higher temperatures can contribute to more frequent extreme weather events including hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, heavy rains and flooding These events can wipe out clusters, destroying infrastructure and destroyed living things.
- Sea levels rise: As global temperatures rise, glaciers and glaciers melt, containing more water than the oceans. In addition, the vapor expands. Both of these processes contribute to sea level rise, which can lead to coastal erosion, increased flooding and displacement of people living in coastal areas.
- Ocean acidification: Rising CO2 is not just an air problem; The oceans capture about 1 / 4 of the carbon dioxide that enters the area. Once the CO2 is absorbed, it reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, which lowers the pH of the ocean, which is called ocean acidification. This process can be harmful to marine life, especially corals, worms, plankton and other creatures that rely on calcium carbonate for their skeletal structure.
- Ecological and ecological impacts: Climate change can alter habitats and destroy ecosystems. Some species are forced to migrate to cooler climates, changing ecological stability. Other cycles or changes will not move fast enough, most importantly due to the lack of biodiversity.
- Economic and Social Impacts: The effects of global warming can put pressure on economies, which depend mainly on agriculture or those often affected by natural disasters and can even lead to social inequalities.
Examples of Greenhouse Gases
- Carbon dioxide (CO2): This is perhaps the most well-known greenhouse gas, mainly because of its central role in human-induced climate change. Carbon dioxide is produced by natural processes such as respiration and volcanic eruptions, as well as by human activities such as deforestation, land-use change and the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas).
- Methane (CH4): Methane is more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, but it is present in the atmosphere in much lower concentrations. It is formed by the destruction of natural resources such as wetlands and human activities such as livestock farming, rice fields and organic waste in urban solid waste disposal.
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O): Commonly referred to as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a by-product of soil and agricultural practices, particularly commercial organic chemicals, fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass a they burn ,It is a powerful greenhouse gas.
- Ozone (O3): Unlike other greenhouse gases, ozone is not released directly into the atmosphere but through chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight Ozone a on the ground is harmful to human health and the environment.
- Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs): These are manufactured products of completely industrial origin, used in many applications such as air conditioners, refrigerators, aerosol propellants, etc. Their manufacture has largely ceased in Montreal Treaty because of its role in ozone depletion.
- Water Vapor (H2O): This is the most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. As the atmosphere warms, it can hold more water vapor, which in turn warms the atmosphere further and increases the amount of water vapor it can hold.