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carbon dioxide effects on the environment
The Major Causes Of Global Warming
the cause of global warming
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This essay offers a defense to the position that humans are responsible for global warming. What is Carbon Dioxide? Before attempting to answer any questions based on observations about carbon dioxide, taking a moment to identify the carbon dioxide helps to ensure a clear understanding of the element. According to Princeton University (n.d.), “carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide, is a heavy odorless colorless gas formed during respiration and by the decomposition of organic substances”. This naturally occurring element is exists in the Earth’s atmosphere where it circulates between water, plants, soil and animals. Current Carbon Dioxide Levels Knowledge of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere helps scientists understand how the gas affects Earth, its atmosphere and any potential global warming. Carbon dioxide levels, measured in parts per million (ppm), defines a unit of measure “as a measure of small levels of pollutants in air, water, body fluids, etc. Parts per million is the mass ratio between the pollutant component and the solution” (TET, n.d.). Rising every year since 1958, the current atmospheric carbon dioxide level is 396.81 ppm according to co2now.org (2014). Scientists believe that they only have a short amount of time to get this and other greenhouse gases under control before the planet crosses the point of no return. With a level of 396.81 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, one may wonder if this level is the highest level the Earth has seen in the last 450,000 years. According to the graph found at Planet Seed’s website (2014), this is the highest levels of carbon dioxide level recorded in that time. In fact, the graph clearly shows a spike in carbon dioxide levels in the last portion of the g... ... middle of paper ... ...3). Overview of greenhouse gases. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html Hilderman, R. (2011). Fossil fuel and atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. Retrieved from http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/fossil-fuel-and-atmospheric-levels-of-carbon-dioxide.aspx Marshall, C. (2013). Small-scale U.S. lab experiment removes CO2 from atmosphere at relatively low cost. http://www.eenews.net/stories/1059981902 Planet Seed. (2014). Global climate change and energy CO2 and temperature change. Retrieved from http://www.planetseed.com/relatedarticle/co2-and-temperature-change Princeton University. (n.d.). WordNet search - 3.1. Retrieved from http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=co2 The Engineering Toolbox (TET). (n.d.). PPM - parts per million. Retrieved from http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/ppm-d_1039.html
Carter, Robert M. "Global Warming: Ten Facts and Ten Myths on Climate Change." Global Research. Global Research, 9 Dec. 2009. Web. 25 June 2014. . Secondary Source
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), carbon dioxide is the primary gas emitted through human activities and is the most important human contributed greenhouse gas (Overview of greenhouse, 2014). Carbon dioxide is naturally occurring in Earth’s atmosphere. The passing of carbon dioxide through the atmosphere, oceans, soil, plants, and animals is what is known as the carbon cycle. This carbon cycle is important to sustaining life here on Earth. Carbon dioxide is important to life on earth because it is the main component of many biological compounds, minerals, and exists in various forms in the atmosphere (Carbon Cycle, 2014). Humans are disrupting this carbon cycle however by adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and by removing natural absorbers of carbon dioxide, like forests to remove the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is where the greenhouse effect comes into play, since the industrial revolution there has been an increase in the human-related emission of carbon dioxide mainly due to the burning or combustion of fossil fuels for energy. Other contributors include certain industrial processes, the differen...
Today, some scientists are skeptical about the consensus on climate change. This can be compared to a situation in ancient times, where the majority of people believed the earth was flat, and only a minority dared to question that consensus. These challengers note that something not known is how much does the earth’s atmosphere respond to added carbon dioxide (McNider and Christy). This means that no one has any idea of what CO2 levels did to the earth’s climate before meaningful history. So, as many sci...
In an era of rising technology and increasing population, demands on the environment are continually being pushed to new levels. As a result, it becomes important for us to expand our knowledge about the environment and take appropriate actions to protect this element of most importance to human existence. One component of our environment experiencing some of the greatest abuse due to humans is the air. Air pollution has been on the rise ever since the beginning of industrialization. The climbing number of factories and use of cars worldwide are the major culprits of this environmental hazard. There are various gases released into the air that can be considered air pollutants, but one of the most prevalent and dangerous to the environment is carbon dioxide (CO2). Up to 95% of the CO2 produced is the result of natural processes (Burnett & Matthews Jr., 1998). The rest is a direct result of human activity, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels in the production of energy
Some studies have found “that atmospheric CO2 concentration is approximately 383 parts per million by volume (ppmv), a level not seen in at least 650,000 years, and it is projected to increase by 0.5% per year throughout the 21st century.” (Guinotte) “This is because…the ocean absorbs about a third of fossil fuel emissions, but this amount is likely to increase to 90% in the future.” (Bralower) As a result, “the chemistry of the world's oceans is changing at a rate not seen for 65 million years, with far-reaching implications for marine biodiversity and food security, according to a new United Nations study...” (Knight) “…This change is cause for serious concern [for] many marine organisms…, [because they] may not be able to adapt quickly enough to survive these changes.” (Guinotte)
Evidence of global climate change is in an abundance everywhere we look. The atmosphere’s level of carbon dioxide has increased dramatically to the point where it is causing the average temperature to rise because carbon dioxide holds in heat. The latest measurement,
The current level of carbon dioxide is approximately 398.03 parts per million (ppm). According to the data recorded at the Mauna Loa Observatory, in China, the atmospheric carbon dioxide level has been on the rise for the past ten years, with an average annual increase rate of 2.07 ppm. However, regardless of the current increase in the level of carbon dioxide, previous studies indicate that the current rate of global warming is lower in comparison to the historical data recorded for 450,000 years. This could be attributed to lower temperatures recorded during the prehistoric period. For instance, during the Jurassic period, close to 200,000 years ago, the average level of carbon dioxide was 1800 parts per million. This is approximately 4.7 percent times elevated, compared to the current atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Furthermore, the level of carbon dioxide was higher during the Paleozoic era due to the existence of human habitats.
Certain gases in our atmosphere, principally water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and ozone are responsible for the GE but most of the GE can be attributed to water vapour and cloud cover. The earth has been warming gradually since 1850 and scientific measurements have correlated this warming with a gradual build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere caused by humankind’s widespread burning of fossil fuel. W...
Well it hasn't for the last 800,000 years. Ice core data shows that the fastest rate of CO2 increase over the last 800,000 years was 30 ppm in 1000 years.
“An introduction to climate change.” Natural Resource Defense Council. Natural Resources Defense Council 8 November 2015 n. pag. Web. 28 November 2015.
Ever since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution at the end of the 18th century, fossil fuels have been used constantly, slowly changing the planet’s atmosphere. According to Mann, “the preindustrial level of CO2 was 280 parts per million (ppm)” (N. pag). He predicts that at current rates, we will reach 560 ppm by the end of the 21st century. To make matters worse, Mann states that 450 ppm is dangerous as it will cause an increase in Earth’s average temperature by 2 Celsius. He recommends taking measures to keep CO2 at less than 405 ppm (N. pag). Mann takes note that in 2013, the value managed to reach 400 ppm (N. pag). It is needless to say that the point of no return is right around the corner. Unfortunately, the affects of pollution are already felt around the world. Pollution can cause many health issues and damage several organs in the body. When people think ...
CO2 produced by humans highly outweigh the natural CO2 and it is rising due to measurements
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,
Hardy, J. T. Climate Change: Causes, Effects, and Solutions. New York: J. Wiley, 2003. Print.
The earth is a complex system, which continues to evolve and change. Climate change and global warming are currently popular in the political agenda. But what does “climate” really mean? The difference between weather and climate can be conveyed in a single sentence: “Climate is what you expect; weather is what you get.” Based on research of the geologic record, we know that climate change has happened throughout Earth's history and at present, ever-increasing evidence points to the roles that humans play in altering Earth systems. The Earth and its atmosphere receive heat energy from the sun; the atmospheric heat budget of the Earth depends on the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing radiation from the planet; which has been constant over the last few thousand years. However present evidence seems to suggest that the recent increase in temperature has been brought about by pollution of the atmosphere, in particular the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide, mostly through Anthropogenic Forcing (human activity) and other various internal and external factors. I...