Methane Research Paper

277 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: The effects of the greenhouse effect

Methane is a far more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide (15), as its four hydrogen bonds absorb more infrared radiation than carbon dioxide, thus having a greater and instantaneous contribution to the enhanced greenhouse effect. However, methane has an atmospheric life of approximately 12 years (15), compared to a much longer duration for carbon dioxide. Methane’s shorter life is defined by its ability to react with hydroxyl radicals (15) in the atmosphere, in turn being converted into water and carbon dioxide (FIGURE 1). Methane gas is also able to react with halogens in the atmosphere, via a process known as free radical halogenation, where ultraviolet light breaks the bonds in diatomic halogens, thus attracting the hydrogen atoms

Show More
Related

  • Halon Vs PhostrEx

    1078 Words  | 3 Pages

    Halons have been tested to be harmful to the Earth’s stratospheric ozone layer which makes the global warming potential unacceptable. The United States has banned import halon production on Jan 1...

    Read More

  • Change And Change: What Is Climate Change?

    812 Words  | 2 Pages

    Methane is also another important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is the resultant of human activities. It is infused in the atmosphere due to-

    Read More

  • Importance Of Climate Change Essay

    1379 Words  | 3 Pages

    The emission of carbon dioxide has contributed to 80% to the heating of the earth atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is produced due the burning of fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal and oil. The burning of fossil fuel is very important in our society today, because it is used for cooking, used to produce electricity, for heating, for cooling and also for transportation. The industrialization has led to the use of fossil fuel for running machines and driving cars. The building of fossil fuel contributes towards 80-90% of the carbon dioxide we find in our atmosphere today. When the ecosystems are altered and vegetation is either burned or took out, the carbon stored in them is relinquished to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (What causes global climate change, 2005). Methane is another gas being produced in the process which all have served to increase the greenhouse effect in our atmosphere. Methane is produced from the cultivation of rice, from the burning of coal and from cattle, it has increased by 145% due to human

    Read More

  • Co2 Dragster Research Papers

    602 Words  | 2 Pages

    Why do I Dragster? A question that at first may sound really weird. This question actually asks why would you want to race C02 cars. First, to understand what this is, lets start with the Basics.

    Read More

  • The Politics of Natural Gas Production

    1277 Words  | 3 Pages

    United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Natural Science. Washington: Office of Atmospheric Programs, April 2010. Web. 27 Nov. 2013.

    Read More

  • Facts About The Solar System

    591 Words  | 2 Pages

    A greenhouse gas is a gas, which absorbs the infrared radiation emitted out by a planet carrying energy away, but allows through the visible light carrying energy in from the Sun, such as carbon dioxide. (CO2, H2O, O3, CH4, CFCs).

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Methane

    771 Words  | 2 Pages

    Do people know what happens to things that they throw away? They think it gone for good, but scientists worry that if methane increases in the atmosphere, it could cause more warming than carbon dioxide when they burn the fossil fuels. It is important to know because of the methane from landfills because it is estimated that it causes between thirty and seventy million tons of emissions every year (Reay, n.d.). It is necessary to understand the sources and advantages, and disadvantages, of methane because it is dangerous because it can affect the environment.

    Read More

  • Methane Clathrates

    340 Words  | 1 Pages

    Humans use more and more energy each year and currently Australia depends heavily on coal, a finite resource. The energy crisis is a big concern for the world as countries begin to research alternative and new energy sources. Development of an energy source that is abundant and environmentalists friendly is essential for economic development and sustainability. The recent research into the use of methane from methane clathrates highlights this as a potential future energy source around the world. However, our group strongly suggests that Australia does not investigate methane clathrate as a source of energy in Australia due to its extensive disadvantages.

    Read More

  • How the Sun Produces Light and Heat

    1481 Words  | 3 Pages

    Greenhouse Gases, Climate Change, and Energy. (2004, April 2). . Retrieved May 10, 2014, from http://www.eia.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html

    Read More

  • Natural Gas Essay

    1276 Words  | 3 Pages

    NiSource is one of the biggest natural gas distribution companies in the USA. Company is not responsible for the production of natural gas, but rather purchases fossil fuel at the source and transmits supply thru its pipelines to industries and local costumers. Natural gas can be transported to distribution facilities in two ways: underground gas pipelines or shipped by the sea in LNG tankers. In nature during the extraction, natural gas exists as a gas, which needs to be captured by special pipeline system designed for gathering processes. Captured gas contains water and other impurities that have to be removed in production well. In order to be transported, it needs to be cooled and transformed into liquid, which increases transportation efficiency to processing units and improves transportation cost ratio. Regasification is the process when "wet", liquid natural gas is processed and changed to pipeline quality natural gas. Natural gas needs to be turned back to gas in order to be useful for residential and commercial customers. This process needs to be monitored and measured for quality and content of natural gas due to the risk of pipeline rupture and safety. "Natural gas entering the system that is not within certain specific gravities, pressures, Btu content range, or water content level will cause operational problems, pipeline deterioration, or even cause pipeline rupture."1 Natural gas transported to distributors is called "dry" gas due to the physical state.

    Read More

  • does global warming exist

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    The emission of green house gasses due to human activity contributes the most in increasing global warming. Today, fossil fuels are used as a source of energy for transportation, electricity, industrial process and to increase human comfort in this era. Over the last decade humans have created mass amount of industries. These industries have been burning fossil fuels such as coal, which release carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide; carbon dioxide absorbs heat that raises the temperature of the earth. More than 80% of carbon dioxide comes from tr...

    Read More

  • Research paper on alternative fuels

    714 Words  | 2 Pages

    For a long time gasoline has dominated our world. It has been only now in the late 20th century to now that new fuels have surfaced to challenge the might of gasoline. One type of alternative energy that can be used instead of gasoline is hydrogen fuel cells. Ever since 2003 when President Bush announced the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative car companies have been trying to develop Hydrogen fuel cell cars that are cost effective and practical. Alone the USA has invested billions of dollars on fuel cell research and development.

    Read More

  • Essay On Greenhouse Effect

    765 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the beginning of the existence of planet Earth, different eras have shaped the atmosphere of our planet. But recently, the inhabitation of mankind has changed the levels of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere, on a rather unhealthy scale. Because of our emissions, we have given global warming no other path then to rise. The increased amounts of Carbon Dioxide and other gases put into the air are enhancing the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect, the trapping of the sun's warmth in the planet’s atmosphere, is causing global warming. In the greenhouse effect, shorter-wavelengths with higher energy are able to transmit through, but not out the atmosphere. On the other hand, long-wavelengths with low energy are able to be transmitted through the atmosphere and out freely. In our case, infrared radiation, which we feel as heat, becomes trapped inside the atmosphere. Our atmosphere heats up when it is exposed to the sun's heat, but eventually levels off at a certain equilibrium temperature, which is the average surface temperature. The equilibrium temperature is the point at which temperatures level out. Earth’s present day atmosphere includes Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (21%), Argon (0.0093%), Carbon Dioxide (0.00035%), and Water (0.01%). In order to test out this concept of the greenhouse effect, we did an experiment in which we took two bottles, each filled up with dirt. The top parts of each bottle were cut off and we put a thermometer inside each bottle facing outwards. For the experimental bottle, we covered the top of it with plastic wrap and for the control, we left it alone. In the middle of the two bottles, we put a light bulb and at every five minutes, we checked the temperature of each bottle and record...

    Read More

  • Titan: The Largest Moon of Saturn

    820 Words  | 2 Pages

    In regards of greenhouse gasses in Titan’s atmosphere, Methane makes a very capable and effective greenhouse gas . Methane, which is transparent in UV and visible spectral regions, displays absorption bands which complements Titan’s infrared emission spectrum. The cycle of methane on Titan is still a mystery and needs further research gain more understanding, however it seems to be very similar to of water on Earth. Also another efficient greenhouse gas is Molecular hydrogen, which also absorbs the infrared and enact a similar role to Methane. Many answered questions was aided by the Cassini Huygens mission which was developed by NASA and ESA. In Titan’s atmospheric pressure-temperature conditions, it is possible to condense methane but not possible to condense molecular hydrogen. Thus, on Titan, methane and ...

    Read More

  • Anthropogenic Climate Change Essay

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most destructive human contribution to climate change is fossil fuels combustion, which results in the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Increased carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons levels in the atmosphere cause an imbalance in the earth’s energy. This is because the gases alter solar radiation and thermal radiation which regulate the earth’s energy. Research indicates that anthropogenic climate change is the cause of the increased global warming over the last fifty years. 57 % of the carbon dioxide emitted is absorbed into the atmosphere while the rest is absorbed into the oceans. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the most central greenhouse gas that is associated with global warming (Eby, Zickfield, Montenegro, Archer, Meissner, & Weaver,

    Read More

More about Methane Research Paper

Open Document