GREENHOUSE GASES Flashcards
Natural warming of the earth that results when gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun that would otherwise escape into space.
Greenhouse effect
Any gas that has the property of absorbing infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiating it back to Earth’s surface, thus contributing to the greenhouse effect.
greenhouse gases
Different _____ can have different effects on the Earth’s warming depending on their ability to absorb energy (radiative efficiency) and how long they stay in the atmosphere (lifetime).
greenhouse gases
GHGs sources
naturally occurring and present only due to industrial processes
Naturally occurring GHGs
Water vapor (H2O),
Carbon dioxide (CO2),
Methane (CH4), and
Nitrous oxide (N2O).
PRESENT ONLY DUE TO INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
Perfluorocarbons (CF6, C2F6),
Hydrofluorocarbons (CHF3, CF3CH2F, CH3CHF2), and
Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6)
Indicates the relative effectiveness of GHGs in trapping the Earth’s heat over a certain time horizon.
Global warming potential (GWP)
It is a measure of how much energy the emissions of 1 ton of a gas will absorb over a given period of time, relative to the emissions of 1 ton of carbon dioxide (CO2).
Global warming potential (GWP)
The larger the GWP, the more that a given gas warms the Earth compared to CO2 over that time period.
Global warming potential (GWP)
Most potent greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere, but its behavior is fundamentally different from that of the other greenhouse gases.
water vapor
As the temperature of the atmosphere rises, more water is evaporated from Earth and thus causes even more warming.
water vapor
Carbon Dioxide natural sources
- decomposition and respiration
- ocean release
Carbon Dioxide Human sources
- Burning of fossil fuels
- land use change
- deforestation
- cement manufacturing -
Methane natural sources
- decomposition
- swamps
- permafrost
Methane human sources
- rice cultivation
- landfills
- livestock
- burning of fossil fuels
