The Sun’s energy passes through the car’s windshield. This energy (heat) is trapped inside the car and cannot pass back through the windshield, causing the inside of the car to warm up. Example of the Greenhouse Effect

How Global Warming Works Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 )

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

The Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is the rise in the Earth’s temperature because of certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane). These gases trap energy from the sun on the Earth.

1) Burning forests adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. 2) The air near the ground becomes warmer. 3) Factories add CO2 to the atmosphere. 4) Cars add large amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere. 5) Some of the heat from the sun leaves Earth into space. 6) The sun’s radiation (heat) is absorbed by the Earth. 7) Ultraviolet radiation (heat) from the sun enters the atmosphere. 8) Some of the heat from the sun is trapped on Earth by greenhouse gases.

Effects of Global Warming Increased Temperature Habitat Damage and Species Affected Changes in Water Supply Rising Sea Level

Colorado River Arizona June 2002Dec 2003

Burning of Fossil Fuels Pollution from coal, natural gas, and oil

GLACIERS ARE MELTING

MUIR & RIGGS GLACIER 1941

MUIR & RIGGS GLACIER 2004

SEA LEVELS ARE RISING Three Year Average Satellite Altimetry Year Sea Level Change (cm)

The ozone is like a blanket that protects all of the Earth. It is in the stratosphere and protects Earth from harmful UV rays

Humans have used too many chemicals that have created a hole in the ozone layer. As a result, the harmful UV rays can come in. Now more people are getting skin cancer and we have to use a lot of sunscreen to protect ourselves from the UV rays.

The Hole in the Ozone

Air Pollution Air pollution is a gas (or a liquid or solid dispersed through ordinary air) released in a big enough quantity to harm the health of people or other animals, kill plants or stop them growing properly, damage or disrupt some other aspect of the environment (such as making buildings crumble), or cause some other kind of nuisance (reduced visibility, perhaps, or an unpleasant odor).

Acid rain is rain that is full of pollutants from the air. It affects the water and can kill aquatic animals and plants.

Water Pollution When humans put pollutants into the water, bad things can happen. Water becomes so polluted that you can’t drink it. Many aquatic animals die.

Ground Pollution Ground pollution: – Fertilizers: chemicals that we add – Pesticides – Garbage (lots of rubbish!)