Causes

Causes of Global Warming
Global Warming is caused is caused by the entrapment of heat in the atmosphere through “Greenhouse Gases”. Greenhouse gases are gases that keep heat that enters the atmosphere from returning, therefore creating a build up of heat. Examples of these gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxide. There is less methane than carbon dioxide in the atmposphere but it has 20 times the effect of CO2. Bacteria in oceans and in the moist forest soils naturally produce nitrous oxide, a gas that is 300 times as effective as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. There are about 30 greenhouse gases, but 40% of global warming is caused by CO2 alone. Gasolines used in cars are fossil fuels and power plants owned by humans use fossil fues to create energy. Without these gases the world would be 72ºF cooler, too cold to support any life forms. With global warming, if the amount of greenhouse gases increases a lot, Earth will be too hot to support life.

←The Greenhouse Effect

Scientists say that the earth’s standard temperature could rise between 2.5 and 10˚ F by 2100. Major sources of global warming are pollution and insects. Scientists agree that by far the biggest cause is an increase in greenhouse effect gases. Every animal and human produces methane, one of the greenhouse gases. Global warming is caused by the entrapment of heat in the atmosphere. Examples of these gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxide. There is less methane than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere but it has 20 times the effect of CO2. Bacteria in oceans and in the moist forest soils naturally produce nitrous oxide, a gas that is 300 times as effective as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. There are about 30 greenhouse gases, but 40 of global warming are caused by CO2 alone. Gasoline used in cars are fossil fuels and power plants owned by humans use fossil fuels to create energy. Without these gases the world would be 72F cooler, too cold to support any life forms. With global warming, if the amount of greenhouse gases increases a lot, earth will be too hot to support life. As heat builds up in the atmosphere, so does water vapor. Higher temperatures evaporate more water, and water vapor traps heat in the atmosphere even better than carbon dioxide. Water in the atmosphere causes most of the natural greenhouse effect. Water attracts heat. The sun can penetrate these gases, but unfortunately cannot escape them so easily. The sun’s rays initially are absorbed by atmosphere molecules, and then are detained by the gases. Many of these gases enter the atmosphere when fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and natural gases, are burned and some are from landfills. Deforestation contributes to the build up of carbon dioxide, since the trees are being cut down and they are one of the main objects that intake carbon dioxide.
Humans release about 6 billion tons of carbon dioxide alone, into the atmosphere. Coal emits around 1.7 times as much carbon per unit of energy when burned as does natural gas and 1.25 times as much as oil. Natural gas gives off 50 of the carbon dioxide released by coal and 25% less carbon dioxide than oil, for the same amount of energy produced. Some of the natural causes of global warming include volcanoes, they have always spewed carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and so have animals when they breathe. Methane is released by termites, oceans, peat bogs, and mud volcanoes. Oceans release methane when the dead organisms in the sea decompose.
Global warming is the big problem that is occuring right now. As many people as possible should help and turn it around. You can do your part by doing as many of the things as possible listed on the Home page, under What You Can Do.
Everyone is part of the causes, and yet only very few are working against it. Some people are still oblivious and do not know what is going on around them. Global Warming ties in with many things, such as pollution and animal extinction. Pollution ties in because it is one of the causes, and animal extinction is one of the effects.

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