Greenhouse Effect CO 2

Earth as a Closed System

The Earth’s Atmosphere 78% Nitrogen 20% Oxygen 1% Argon 0.03% CO 2 Trace Elements ‘The Precious Envelope’ Helium Nitrogen Oxygen Water vapor Argon Neon Carbon dioxide Air

Copyright © 2007 Pearson Benjamin Cummings. All rights reserved. Component Percent composition Nitrogen, N 2 78% Oxygen, O 2 21% Argon, Ar 0.9% Water, H 2 O 0 – 4% (variable) Carbon dioxide, CO % (variable) The Earth’s Atmosphere From Space

Video - Crisis in the Atmosphere KeysKeys

Light from the sun Reflected heat absorbed by atmosphere Reflected heat lost to outer space Kelter, Carr, Scott, Chemistry A Wolrd of Choices 1999, page 392 Global Warming

Light from the sun Reflected heat absorbed by atmosphere Reflected heat lost to outer space Kelter, Carr, Scott, Chemistry A Wolrd of Choices 1999, page 392

HIGH ENERGY, SHORT LIGHT PASSES EASILY THROUGH ATMOSPHERE ENERGY RELEASED AS HEAT LOWER ENERGY, LONGER LIGHT IS BLOCKED BY CO 2 AND CH 4 ; ENERGY DOESN’T ESCAPE INTO SPACE; ATMOSPHERE HEATS UP CO 2 MOLECULES The Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse Gases

The Earths Atmosphere Ozone Zumdahl, Zumdahl, DeCoste, World of Chemistry  2002, page 309

Carbon Dioxide Levels Zumdahl, Zumdahl, DeCoste, World of Chemistry  2002, page Year Atmospheric CO 2 (ppm)

(a) Records from Antarctic ice cores ( A.D. ) (b) Records from monthly air samples, Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii ( ) Copyright © 2007 Pearson Benjamin Cummings. All rights reserved.

Why more CO 2 in atmosphere now than 500 years ago? burning of fossil fuelsdeforestation * The burning of ethanol won’t slow greenhouse effect. C 2 H 5 OH + O 2  CO 2 + H 2 O -- coal -- petroleum -- natural gas -- wood -- urban sprawl -- rain forests -- wildlife areas

FACT: 15% increase in [CO 2 ] in last 100 years Cause: –C–Change from agricultural to industrial lifestyle –B–Burning of fossil fuels (petroleum, coal) –I–Increase CO 2 emissions (cars, factories etc…) –D–Deforestation Effects: –G–Global warming –M–Melt polar ice caps  flooding at sea level –W–Warming oceans  more powerful storms Greenhouse Effect Year Atmospheric CO 2 (ppm)

Greenhouse Effect Children and pets left unattended in vehicles with windows rolled up can die from high temperature in vehicle. Carbon dioxide in atmosphere traps heat and acts like a glass cover holding in the heat on planet Earth.

insulate home; run dishwasher full; avoid temp. extremes (A/C & furnace); wash clothes on “warm,” not “hot” mow lawn less often (small engines) What can we do? 1. Reduce consumption of fossil fuels. 2. Support environmental organizations. 3. Rely on alternate energy sources. bike instead of drive; carpool; energy-efficient vehicles At home: On the road: solar, wind energy, hydroelectric power

Sources of Energy