The effects of extra CO2 in the atmosphere on water acidity and temperature
By Alexander Bradford
Abstract:
An experiment was conducted to test whether or not excess CO2 in the atmosphere had any effects on atmospheric temperature and water acidification. Two bottles were filled with tap water, and capped with a thermometer. One bottle had nothing added, the other had CO2 gas added. The bottles were placed near two desk lamps. The temperatures were recorded over a 1-hour period at 10-15 minute intervals, and the pH levels of the water in the bottles after the time were recorded. The experiment was conducted to obtain sample data on the effects of excess greenhouse gases such as CO2 in the atmosphere. The results in temperature showed a
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They are also the two most heat absorbent gases in the atmosphere. Therefore, if there was to be an increase in these such gases, there would be more heat being absorbed by the atmosphere before leaving to space (Lynas, 2008). The Sun radiates three types of radiation to Earth, UV radiation which is invisible to the naked eye and can cause skin cancer due to excessive exposure, visible light that gives light during the day, and infrared radiation which is the heat that can be felt from the Sun’s rays (Irvine, Sriver, & Keller, 2012). The Earth is surround by an ozone layer which is made up of three oxygen atoms, this layer protects the earth from UV radiation, and reflects some infrared radiation (Kitchen, 2014). Additionally, the remaining Infrared radiation reaches the Earth’s surface, some is absorbed, while some is reflected to the atmosphere; the atmosphere then absorbs some of this radiation and sends the rest back to space; the absorbed radiation by the atmosphere is then reflected to the earth’s surface again, and the process continues indefinitely (Dyer, Richards, Short, & Dodson, 2013). Now if there were excess CO2 in the atmosphere, like the enhanced greenhouse effect, more Infrared radiation would be absorbed, increasing the temperature of the atmosphere (Houghton, 2010). This increase in temperature can greatly affect ecosystems on earth that depend on a balanced temperature (Ferrari et al., 2012).
The main
Over the years Carbon Dioxide has been significantly increasing from human activity. CO2 has a concentration of about 400 ppmv (parts per million volume). Its concentration in the atmosphere was about 280 ppmv before the Industrial Revolution, now it has increased immensely to about 380 ppmv in 2006. Many have said Carbon Dioxide has been the main reason or cause of global warming; saying that if we produce too much of this greenhouse gas it can create a global climate change. Even though carbon dioxide affects the temperature of the atmosphere it also affects the acidity of water specifically in the ocean.
When the atmosphere is warmed it emits IR radiation, with a portion of the energy acting to warm the surface and the Earth?s atmosphere. As a result the average surface temperature of the Earth is higher than it would normally be without the atmospheric absorption and re-radiation of IR energy. This is known as the ?Greenhouse effect?. The predictions of the future of these greenhouse gasses being in our atmosphere is based on how much we put into the atmosphere and how much is consumed. One thing is for certain, there are still large controversies on how much of these gasses that are let into the atmosphere are by natural or man made processes. (2-453-454)
Changes in CO2 are affecting us and our environment in many ways. the most predominant effect of carbon dioxide changes is on the weather and oceans. Unpredictable heat waves are occurring in unforeseen parts of the world (i.e. Europe) and global temperatures as a whole are rising. The rise in the temperatures can not only affect us but the flora and fauna around us. With hotter temperatures, some plants and animals may be unable to adjust which would result in a chain reaction. Heat is affecting the oceans as well and many long standing glaciers or ice shelves to melt and alter the oceans temperature, levels and salinity. These, resultantly, are causing disruptions to the thermohaline conveyor and are effecting islands or seaside town as the water level
The greenhouse effect on earth results from a higher concentration of carbon dioxide, water vapor and methane in the atmosphere.
Although there are currently many greenhouse gases claiming earth’s atmosphere as their home, carbon dioxide is by far the most abundant and most adversely gas that affects Earth's climate. According to NASA, the amount of energy being emitted from the sun has remained constant since the 1750s. A common misconception when talking about global warming, is that the sun is the main source of the increase of the earth’s global temperatures. But if temperatures were increasing due to the sun, scientists would see warming in all layers of the atmosphere rather than just the lower ones. “Since the Industrial Revolution began around 1750, human activities have contributed substantially to climate change by adding CO2 and other heat-trapping gases
A major contributor to climate change is the increased emissions of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. According to The Independent, a UK newspaper, “Greenhouse gases act like a blanket around Earth.” This layer of insulating gases is called the Ozone Layer. In the stratosphere, where ozone naturally occurs, it benefits the earth by reducing the amount of UV radiation that reaches the earth. When it builds in the troposphere, however, it traps heat and contributes to urban smog and large amounts of
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are higher than they have been in the past 400 thousand years, and they are steadily rising. In part, this is due to human impact. Carbon dioxide is a natural greenhouse gas and has been a part of Earth’s atmosphere for millions of years. CO2 levels are constantly fluctuating and have a large impact on the planet including a change in climate and ocean acidification. Multiple methods are used in deciphering CO2 levels of times past. Two proxies include ice cores and the δ18O compositions of marine foraminifera as resources in the determination of CO2 level information. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere comes from many sources.
Many chemical compounds present in Earth's atmosphere behave as 'greenhouse gases'. These are gases which allow direct sunlight (relative shortwave energy) to reach the Earth's surface unimpeded. As the shortwave energy (that in the visible and ultraviolet portion of the spectra) heats the surface, longer-wave (infrared) energy (heat) is reradiated to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases absorb this energy, thereby allowing less heat to escape back to space, and 'trapping' it in the lower atmosphere. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide, while others are synthetic. Those that are man-made include the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and Perfluorocarbons
The gases that travel around are atmosphere is what absorb radiation is known as “greenhouse gases”. The primary greenhouse gases on are atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. Due to the three big large consumer of fossil fuel has impacted are atmosphere with carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gases allow the sunlight to past through are atmosphere freely. The earth absorbs some of the shortwave radiation and some of the energy bounce back into space. While carbon monoxide emission has been rising it has been causing are atmosphere to have too much that causes the heat to be trapped which causes the greenhouse effect. This changed the temperature of the earth by trapping the heat in are atmosphere. This keep the temperature of earth higher than it would be if direct sun was heating
Carbon dioxide (chemical formula CO2) is a colourless and odourless gas vital to life on Earth. This naturally occurring chemical compound is composed of a carbon atom covalently double bonded (linear) to 2 oxygen atoms. CO2 only makes up for 0.04% of the atmosphere, however CO2 is an exceptionally important gas. Although Earth's atmosphere is 90% opaque to long wave IR radiation, the vast majority of the atmosphere is not composed of gases that cause the greenhouse effect. Molecular nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) make up roughly 98% of our atmosphere, and neither is a greenhouse gas. So, although the greenhouse effect is very powerful, a very small fraction of Earth's atmospheric gases generate the effect. The main greenhouse gasses are water
Ocean acidification is sometimes called “climate change’s equally evil twin.” It 's a significant and harmful consequence of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that we don 't see or feel because its effects are happening underwater. At least one-quarter of the carbon dioxide released by burning coal, oil and gas doesn 't stay in the air, but instead dissolves into the ocean. Since the beginning of the industrial era, the ocean has absorbed some 525 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, presently around 22 million tons per day.
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are visible to radiation that delivers the sun’s energy to the earth. Different types of radiation influence the temperature occurrence in carbon dioxide; this is because the molecules found in the air by carbon dioxide absorb infrared radiation. Carbon dioxide takes up a big amount of infrared radiation this is due to the process in how the gas prevents its escape into space making radiation warm up the atmosphere. An example that we can relate to this matter is how quickly a closed up car heats up under the summer sun. This is similarly the case of carbon dioxide, like with the
Many of the greenhouse gases in the troposphere are naturally produced, which is why the Earth is able to stay at a constant average global temperature. Carbon dioxide is the main greenhouse gas in which is affecting global warming, not because of naturally produced carbon dioxide, but mainly because of man made carbon dioxide emissions. Man made carbon dioxide is produced by decomposed fossils, which eventually turn into oil and coal from underground, and are dug up by heavy machinery. Once dug up, the coal and oil are used to power things like fireplaces in homes or machinery like cars, and the expenditure of the coal and oil (fossil fuels) burns and releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This man made carbon dioxide emissions began in the late 18th century and is known as the industrial revolution. Due to this fossil fuel burning, the atmosphere thickens because there is an increase in greenhouse gases that accumulate mainly in the troposphere and a little over half of man made carbon dioxide stays in atmosphere, which can last for a century and means there are more greenhouse gases to trap heat. This causes the cycle of input and output of heat to become unbalanced, and therefore causes a lot more heat to be trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere than is being radiated
There are four major gases that cause the greenhouse effect. These chemicals are Chloroflourocarbons (CFC’s), Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and Methane (CH4). “CFC’s destroy ozone molecules by the thousands, causing a smaller amount of ozone in the ozone layer. This allows more UV rays hit the Earth’s surface, causing a slight increase of the Earth’s temperature. The more ozone molecules destroyed, the more UV rays enter the Earth’s atmosphere, making the temperature even higher”(What Is The Greenhouse Effect).
The greenhouse effect is what allows life on Earth and the atmosphere contains trace gases which are designed to retain heat. The gases that are present in the atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide. These gases act as a global insulator and help control the Earth’s atmosphere. It all begins with sunlight which is a form of energy that is mostly absorbed by land, oceans, and a portion of the sunlight is reflected back to the atmosphere. Once the earth warms up, it then gives off energy in a different form which is called infrared radiation or electromagnetic radiation. The planet need some of the greenhouse gases because without them the