Earth and Life Science

11 – Gandhi

Group 6 – Greenhouse Effect

and Global Warming

Presented by:
Jhennilyn Hamor
Jessie Rose Trinidad
Christian Admer Almario
Justin Olayres
Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

Most of us are aware that global warming is a thing and it is caused by the
greenhouse effect. We knew that global warming affects us and our planet, but
do we truly know the what, how, and when? Bellow are the key definitions
needed in this topic.

Greenhouse Effect - the trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower

atmosphere.
Global Warming - a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's
atmosphere.
Short Wavelength Radiation – radiation from the sun that easily penetrates the
Earth’s atmosphere.
Long Wavelength Radiation – the radiation that Earth reradiates back into the
atmosphere and bounces back to the surface. This cannot penetrate the
atmosphere.
Ozone Layer - is a region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's
ultraviolet radiation.
Greenhouse Gases -  is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within
the thermal infrared range.
 Figure 1: Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is the process by which radiation from a planet's

atmosphere warms the planet's surface to a temperature above what it would be
without this atmosphere. (Allaby,1999)
The figure above shows how short wavelength radiation (yellow rays) easily
passed the Earth’s atmosphere. Shorth wavelength radiation has shorter
wavelength and contains high energy. The sun emits shortwave radiation because
it is extremely hot and has a lot of energy to give off. Once in the Earth’s
atmosphere, clouds and the surface absorb the solar energy.  The ground heats
up and re-emits energy as long wavelength radiation (orange rays) in the form of
infrared rays.  Earth emits longwave radiation because Earth is cooler than the
sun and has less energy available to give off.
The long wavelength radiation cannot pass through our atmosphere,
therefore keeping the Earth’s surface warmer. The increase in carbon dioxide and
other gasses in the atmosphere makes the Earth too warm and continues
emissions of these lead to global warming. According to an ongoing temperature
analysis conducted by the scientists at NASA, Earth has increased by about 0.8°
Celsius (1.4° Fahrenheit) since 1880.
The primary greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are water
vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Greenhouse gasses are
important because without it our Earth’s average temperature would be −18 °C
(0 °F), rather than the present average of 15 °C (59 °F). Greenhouse gasses maybe
important, but our activities boost the greenhouse effect by burning fossil fuels,
such as coal and oil, that produce carbon dioxide, making this process a bad thing.
Chemicals we produce are breaking up our Earth’s ozone layer in the
stratosphere weakening our shield against UV rays. Ozone depletion is a serious
global environmental problem. In 1986 an ozone hole appeared over arctic for the
first time and is now getting bigger. Ozone is what protects us from the harmful
rays of the sun making this a very bad news to all living things in Earth.
Not all greenhouse gasses emit heat, water vapor plays an important role in
confining the Earth’s heat.

To explain further here’s an activity for you to try:

Overview
This demonstration uses a water balloon to show how Earth's oceans are absorbing most of the
heat being trapped on our warming world.

Materials
 Several balloons
 Lighter (be sure it creates a flame rather than a jet)
 Bottle of water
 Bucket
 Safety goggles
 Procedures
1. Blow up the balloon and tie it. Ask someone to hold the balloon while you
put on safety goggles. Explain to students that the air-filled balloon represents
Earth's atmosphere and the flame represents the heat from the sun.

2. Take the balloon and have students stand at least three feet away from
you.

3. Hold the bottom of the balloon. Place the lighter's flame onto the balloon,
but at a safe distance from where you are holding the balloon. As soon as the
flame touches the balloon, the balloon will pop.

4. Now make a water balloon. When filling the balloon, try to remove any air
bubbles as placing the flame over an air bubble could cause the balloon to pop
prematurely.  Explain to students that this balloon represents Earth's oceans. 

5. Make sure your safety goggles are still on and hold the balloon over the
bucket. Make sure to hold the balloon at the bottom and place the lighter's flame
on the balloon, at a safe distance from where you are holding the balloon. 

6. Depending on the size of the balloon, the quality and thickness of the
rubber, and the presence of any air bubbles, the water-filled balloon should last
more than one minute with the flame on it.  Be sure to follow any safety
instructions on the lighter with regard to how long the lighter may be held lit
without cooling off.

7. Eventually it the balloon may pop, so position the bucket to catch the
water.

This demonstration illustrates how Earth's oceans are absorbing a great

deal of the heat generated by climate change. In fact, Earth's oceans are
absorbing about 80 to 90 percent of the heat from global warming. Since water
can withstand a lot more heat than the atmosphere, the temperature of the
oceans isn't changing that much.

Scientists believe that further warming will occur if carbon dioxide

emissions are not held in check. The effects of global warming the Earth’s surface
will cause polar ice caps to melt, causing rise in sea level and flooding low-lying
coastal lads. Warming will generally affect all living things and change rainfall
patterns, seriously affecting the agricultural industries.