Module 2700
The greenhouse effect, climate change: An overview
What is the "greenhouse effect"? Is it a good or bad thing?
What are "greenhouse gases"? What are the important ones?
How/Why do "greenhouse gases" do what they do?
Why aren't all of the gases in the atmosphere "greenhouse gases"?
Why should we worry about tiny concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
To answer these important questions we need to know some science. And if we know the science, we can counter the spurious and misleading questions asked by the deniers and those with theirs hands on their wallets.
A focus on carbon dioxide
There are quite a few gases that contribute to the "greenhouse effect" in our atmosphere - that is, those substances that we call "greenhouse gases". In this chapter, we will focus mainly on carbon dioxide, because (i) it has served a very important role in the atmosphere forever, (ii) it is a by-product of combustion and so many other important industrial processes, and is being emitted into the atmosphere in huge quantities, and (iii) it is the centre of current attention.
The modules in this chapter
Click to go directly to the module (if it has been created, as indicated by the colour of the module name):
Click to go directly to the module (if it has been created, as indicated by the colour of the module name):
2701 Is Earth in energy balance?
2702 Carbon dioxide before the Industrial Revolution
2703 So little carbon dioxide! Pffft?
2704 Does carbon dioxide affect Earth's energy balance?
2705 The “greenhouse effect”
2706 Why do carbon dioxide molecules absorb radiations emitted from Earth?
2707 The "enhanced greenhouse effect"
2708 Why doesn't carbon dioxide absorb the radiation coming from the sun?
2709 Why are nitrogen and oxygen not greenhouse gases?
2710 Doesn't water vapour absorb all of the emitted infrared radiation?
2711 Carbon dioxide from our cars.
2712 The source of energy from combustion.
2713 Petrol vs coal vs natural gas as fuels.
2714 Methane is a greenhouse gas
2715 Greenhouse effect vs ozone layer depletion, acid rain, and photochemical smogs
2716 ‘Acidification’ of seawater by CO2
2702 Carbon dioxide before the Industrial Revolution
2703 So little carbon dioxide! Pffft?
2704 Does carbon dioxide affect Earth's energy balance?
2705 The “greenhouse effect”
2706 Why do carbon dioxide molecules absorb radiations emitted from Earth?
2707 The "enhanced greenhouse effect"
2708 Why doesn't carbon dioxide absorb the radiation coming from the sun?
2709 Why are nitrogen and oxygen not greenhouse gases?
2710 Doesn't water vapour absorb all of the emitted infrared radiation?
2711 Carbon dioxide from our cars.
2712 The source of energy from combustion.
2713 Petrol vs coal vs natural gas as fuels.
2714 Methane is a greenhouse gas
2715 Greenhouse effect vs ozone layer depletion, acid rain, and photochemical smogs
2716 ‘Acidification’ of seawater by CO2
LEARNING CHEMISTRY FOR UNDERSTANDING
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