What is the greenhouse effect, and is it affecting our climate?
480842
The greenhouse effect, simply stated, is what keeps this planet habitable. W/o it, life as we know it, would not exist.\n\nGreenhouse gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, etc. all act to insulate the earth. These gases, however, make up a minute percentage of all the gases in the atmosphere. Less than one percent all together to be exact.\n\nThe planet Venus, has what we would call a "runaway greenhouse effect". Carbon Dioxide makes up most of Venus' atmosphere.\n\nGlobal warming, however, is an increase in average global temperature. How does the greenhouse effect relate to global warming???\n\nIt is not so much the greenhouse effect in itself but rather the increase of greenhouse gases that leads to global warming. Some scientists believe that humans have lead to an unnatural increase in these particular gases. On the flip side, there are other scientists who believe that this is a natural cycle, one of many that the earth has been though since forming.\n\nThere is a lot of controversy on this matter. However, I believe while we should err on the side of caution, I do not believe that giving up cars to ride bikes is the answer. Not yet anyway.
967930
The earth has historically gone through cyclical climate changes and we my or my not be going through one now. As to what is causing this, we can only speculate. I don't think that all of the SUVs or hair spray in the world is going to change our climate.
803430
Global warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans in recent decades.\n\nThe Earth's average near-surface atmospheric temperature rose 0.6 ± 0.2 °Celsius (1.1 ± 0.4 °Fahrenheit) in the 20th century. The prevailing scientific opinion on climate change is that "most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities"[1].\n\nThe increased amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) are the primary causes of the human-induced component of warming[2]. They are released by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing and agriculture, etc. and lead to an increase in the greenhouse effect. The first speculation that a greenhouse effect might occur was by the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius in 1897, although it did not become a topic of popular debate until some 90 years later. [3]\n\nThe measure of the response to increased GHGs, and other anthropogenic and natural climate forcings, is climate sensitivity. It is found by observational [4] and model studies. This sensitivity is usually expressed in terms of the temperature response expected from a doubling of CO2 in the atmosphere. The current literature estimates sensitivity in the range 1.5–4.5 °C (2.7–8.1 °F). Models referenced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) project that global temperatures might increase between 1.4 and 5.8 °C (2.5 to 10.5 °F) between 1990 and 2100. The uncertainty in this range results from both the difficulty of estimating the volume of future greenhouse gas emissions and uncertainty about climate sensitivity.\n\nAn increase in global temperatures can in turn cause other changes, including a rising sea level and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation. These changes may increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, heat waves, hurricanes, and tornados. Other consequences include higher or lower agricultural yields, glacial retreat, reduced summer stream flows, species extinctions and increases in the ranges of disease vectors. Warming is expected to affect the number and magnitude of these events; however, it is difficult to connect particular events to global warming. Although most studies focus on the period up to 2100, warming (and sea level rise due to thermal expansion) is expected to continue past then, since CO2 has an estimated atmospheric lifetime of 50 to 200 years. [5]. Only a small minority of climate scientists discount the role that humanity's actions have played in recent warming. However, the uncertainty is more significant regarding how much climate change should be expected in the future, and there is a hotly contested political and public debate over what, if anything, should be done to reduce or reverse future warming, and how to deal with the predicted consequences.
442212
Greenhouse Effect, the capacity of certain gases in the atmosphere to trap heat emitted from the Earth’s surface, thereby insulating and warming the Earth. Without the thermal blanketing of the natural greenhouse effect, the Earth’s climate would be about 33 Celsius degrees (about 59 Fahrenheit degrees) cooler—too cold for most living organisms to survive.\n\nThe greenhouse effect results from the interaction between sunlight and the layer of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere that extends up to 100 km (60 mi) above Earth's surface. Sunlight is composed of a range of radiant energies known as the solar spectrum, which includes visible light, infrared light, gamma rays, X rays, and ultraviolet light. When the Sun’s radiation reaches the Earth’s atmosphere, some 25 percent of the energy is reflected back into space by clouds and other atmospheric particles. About 20 percent is absorbed in the atmosphere. For instance, gas molecules in the uppermost layers of the atmosphere absorb the Sun’s gamma rays and X rays. The Sun’s ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by the ozone layer, located 19 to 48 km (12 to 30 mi) above the Earth’s surface.\n\nAerosols, also known as particulates, are airborne particles that absorb, scatter, and reflect radiation back into space. Clouds, windblown dust, and particles that can be traced to erupting volcanoes are examples of natural aerosols. Human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels and slash-and-burn farming techniques used to clear forestland, contribute additional aerosols to the atmosphere. Although aerosols are not considered a heat-trapping greenhouse gas, they do affect the transfer of heat energy radiated from the Earth to space. The effect of aerosols on climate change is still debated, but scientists believe that light-colored aerosols cool the Earth’s surface, while dark aerosols like soot actually warm the atmosphere. The increase in global temperature in the last century is lower than many scientists predicted when only taking into account increasing levels of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated compounds. Some scientists believe that aerosol cooling may be the cause of this unexpectedly reduced warming. \n\nEffects:\n\nThe increase in global temperatures is expected to result in other climate changes including rises in sea level and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation. Such changes may increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, heat waves, and hurricanes, change agricultural yields, cause glacier retreat, reduced summer streamflows, or contribute to biological extinctions. Although warming is expected to affect the number and magnitude of these events, it is difficult to connect any particular event to global warming.\n\nThe predicted effects of global warming are many and various, both for the environment and for human life. These effects include sea level rise, impacts on agriculture, reductions in the ozone layer , increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events, and the spread of disease. In some cases, the effects may already be being experienced, although it is impossible to attribute specific natural phenomena to long-term global warming. In particular the relationship between global warming and hurricanes is still being debatedFour new papers correlating climate change with increased hurricane intensity seem to be making the case that the two phenomena are linked , a draft WMO statement acknowledges the different viewpoints .
872079
The climate system varies both through natural, "internal" processes as well as in response to variations in external "forcing" from both human and non-human causes, including solar activity, volcanic emissions, and greenhouse gases. Climatologists agree that the earth has warmed recently. The detailed causes of this change remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus identifies greenhouse gases as the primary cause of the recent warming. Outside of the scientific community, however, this conclusion can be controversial.\n\nAdding carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4) to Earth's atmosphere, with no other changes, will make the planet's surface warmer; greenhouse gases create a natural greenhouse effect without which temperatures on Earth would be an estimated 30 °C (54 °F) lower, and the Earth uninhabitable. It is therefore not correct to say that there is a debate between those who "believe in" and "oppose" the theory that adding carbon dioxide or methane to the Earth's atmosphere will, absent any mitigating actions or effects, result in warmer surface temperatures on Earth. Rather, the debate is about what the net effect of the addition of carbon dioxide and methane will be, when allowing for compounding or mitigating factors.\n\nOne example of an important feedback process is ice-albedo feedback. The increased CO2 in the atmosphere warms the Earth's surface and leads to melting of ice near the poles. As the ice melts, land or open water takes its place. Both land and open water are less reflective than ice, and so absorb more solar radiation. This causes more warming, which in turn causes more melting, and the cycle continues.\n\nDue to the thermal inertia of the earth's oceans and slow responses of other indirect effects, the Earth's current climate is not in equilibrium with the forcing imposed by increased greenhouse gases. Climate commitment studies indicate that, even if greenhouse gases were stabilized at present day levels, a further warming of perhaps 0.5 °C to 1.0 °C (0.9–1.8 °F) would still occur.
63195
Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth's global climate or regional climates over time. It describes changes in the variability or average state of the atmosphere - or average weather - over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. These changes may come from internal processes, be driven by external forces or, most recently, be caused by human activities.\n\nIn recent usage, especially in the context of environmental policy, the term "climate change" is often used to refer only to the ongoing changes in modern climate, including the average rise in surface temperature known as global warming. In some cases, the term is also used with a presumption of human causation, including in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC uses "climate variability" for non-human caused variations. \n\n(For a more extensive discussion please refer to the link provided)
43222
The principle behind global warming is the same as the process that warms the interior of a greenhouse. Light from the Sun passes relatively easily down through Earth's atmosphere to the surface. Earth's surface warms and radiates heat in the infra-red part of the electromagnetic spectrum. These frequencies don't pass back up through the atmosphere easily but instead are retained by the atmosphere, thus warming it.
59118
Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. The term is also used for the scientific theory of anthropogenic global warming, which attributes much of the recently observed and projected global warming to a human-induced intensification of the greenhouse effect. On this theory, the increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released mainly by the burning of fossil fuels, and, to a lesser extent, land clearing and agriculture, are the primary sources of warming. The natural greenhouse effect keeps the Earth 30 °C warmer than it otherwise would be; adding carbon dioxide to an atmosphere, with no other changes, will make a planet's surface warmer. Current research is attempting to find out more details about the processes and factors that would affect a temperature increase especially about positive and negative feedback mechanisms, to allow a more precise quantification of the effects of global warming.\n\nTemperature change is just one aspect of the broader subject of (human-induced) climate change. The scientific opinion on climate change, as expressed by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and explicitly endorsed by the national science academies of the G8 nations, is that the average global temperature has risen 0.6 ± 0.2 °C since the late 19th century, and that it is likely that "most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities" [1]. A small minority of qualified scientists contest the view that humanity's actions have played a significant role in increasing recent temperatures. Uncertainties do exist regarding how much climate change should be expected in the future, and a hotly contested political and public debate exists over what actions, if any, should be taken in light of global warming.\n\nBased on basic science, observational sensitivity studies, and the climate models referenced by the IPCC, temperatures may increase by 1.4 to 5.8 °C between 1990 and 2100 [2]. This is expected to result in other climate changes including rises in sea level and changes in the amount and pattern of precipitation. Such changes may increase the frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, heat waves, and hurricanes, change agricultural yields, or contribute to biological extinctions. Although warming is expected to affect the number and magnitude of these events, it is very difficult to connect any particular event to global warming.
983934
Global warming is caused by greenhouse gas emmisions, like CO2 and CH4, cheifly added by humans.\n\nCO2 is 30% higher than it has been for 650,000 years. Methane is 130% greater. These are two of the main pollutants humans put into the atmosphere in excess, and they are two of the primary greenhouse gases.\n\nLook at the 'hockeystick', which shows a dramatic warming since 1950 after a fairly stable climate for 1000 years. In fact, the 10 hottest years in recorded history have all happened since 1990, with 2005 being the hottest, and 2006 is shaping up to maybe break that record.\n(see links below)\n\nHow's that for proof of man's fault in this? There is ample proof, any real scientist will tell you that.\n\nThere has NEVER been an article doubting man's influence on global warming published in a peer-reviewed journal. A recent study of almost 1000 proved that.\n\nYes, the earth naturally heats and cools, but the rate and amount we are warming now is unprecedented in the recent geologic past. We are doing this, and we must stop it. This is not some political statement or rhetoric. This is science trying to educate a crass, ignorant public of the damage they are doing. The magnitude of temperature increase ALREADY is about 10x that of the 'little ice age' of the middle ages, and rate and amount are only going up. \n\nJust to be clear, glacial and interglacial cycles are mainly controlled by astronomical fluctuations, but we have a detailed record of the last 7 cycles, and what the climate and CO2 is doing now is way different and extreme. The rate of increase is much higher than in the past AND the value itself is much higher.\n\nHI CO2: \nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4467420.stm\nHOCKEY STICK: \nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5109188.stm\nGeneral climate stuff: \nhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3897061.stm
642538
Well, it is an interesting question, but I don't think there is any particular connection between cheese and the greenhouse effect.  \n\nI suppose you could say that we eat a lot of cheese, cheese is made from milk which comes from cows, and cows create gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect.  Because we eat so much cheese we need more cows and therefor more food for them, which often has to be produced by burning fossil fuels at some part of the process, which contributes to the greenhouse effect.  And we buy cheese that comes in lots of packaging which must be produced and sometimes uses up natural resources and so can contribute to the grenhouse effect.\n\nHmmmmmmm ..... maybe there is a connection after all ....
780493
The Earth's climate in general is going slowly thru a warming phase much as it has many times. How do you think the ice age ended? Global warming... way before man could have possibly affected the climate. Global warming comes from the sun, period. There are a few slight factors involved. Greenhouse gasses, such as carbom dioxide, hold the Earth's heat from escaping back into space. Gasses commonly called pollution, such as sulfur dioxide, reflect the sun's energy back into space. Here's where it gets tricky... over the last 30 years or so, we've cleaned up the pollution but have added more carbon dioxide to the Earth's atmosphere. Now, more of the sun's energy reaches the surface and more is held in, hence "global warming". \n\nFor the second part of your question... All of the so-called "experts" predicted a nasty hurricane season again this year. What happened? Did the republicans somehow blow the hurricans back out to sea to increase their chances of re-election? If so, they should have advertised it, 'cause they didn't do so well...
23702
Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. The term is also used for the more specific scientific theory of anthropogenic global warming, which states that much of the recent observed (and projected) global warming is human-induced and the result of a strengthened greenhouse effect caused by man-made increases in carbon dioxide (through the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation) and other greenhouse gases. The natural greenhouse effect keeps the Earth 30 °C warmer than it otherwise would be; adding carbon dioxide to an atmosphere, with no other changes, will make a planet's surface warmer. Current research tries to uncover more details, e.g. about positive and negative feedback mechanisms, to allow a more precise quantification of the effect.
162363
Global warming is an increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. The term is also used for the scientific theory of anthropogenic global warming, which attributes much of the recently observed and projected global warming to a human-induced intensification of the greenhouse effect.
863668
Global warming is NOT a "natural thing."\nYes, our planet all on its own, for various reasons, does go through cycles of warmer and cooler temperatures.\nHowever, in the last 150 years we have added many billions of tons of carbon in various forms (carbon dioxide in the air is the biggest problem) to the planet's ecosphere -- more than any "natural" cause in the history of the earth.  \nI very much want to leave a habitable planet to my children, so they can do the same for theirs.  That means reducing humans' artificial climate changes which are causing a runaway greenhouse effect -- which is NOT natural.\n\nThe earth isn't going to "die" naturally for another 4.5 BILLION years or so -- why are you so relaxed about moving that deadline up by 4.9999 billion years?\n\n"only" girl -- it's not a theory, it's well proven.  You should keep up with science.
63093
Global warming is an effect in the earth's lower atmosphere that is claimed to exist by many scientists today.  Essentially, the theory claims that carbon monoxide, fluorocarbons and other gases have damaged the ozone layer, the protective layer in the earth's upper atmosphere that protects the planet from the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.  Some man-made causes of these gases are automobile emissions and bovine flattulance.  The supposed increased levels of UV radition are striking the earth in greater incidence, especially in the equatorial oceans. Hence, according to the theory, the warming oceans are changing weather patterns and melting the polar ice caps.   More severe storms and raising of the ocean levels are possible.  Detractors of the theory contend, however, that evidence for diminishment of the ozone layer, warming of the oceans and melting of the polar ice caps is scant due to the lack of longitudinal (long-term) climatological data for the earth.  In sum, it is unclear whether the changing weather patterns that appear to be happening are caused by man-made activities or part of some cycle governed by normal processes.
530266
If you mean the greenhouse effect, the present increase in the amounts of Carbon Dioxide and other green house gasses caused by human activities is causing the Earths atmosphere to heat up. This is gradually melting the polar ice caps and other glaciers and causing the sea levels to rise. As most of the World's cities are close to sea level this will cause catastrophic flooding. The temperature increase will also cause climate change on a major scale. There will be more desserts and many more strong hurricanes and cyclones.
452166
The increase of the greenhouse gases --> Carbon Dioxide, CFCs, Methane! Nitrogen oxiode.\n\nGases such as carbon dioxide trap heat and since deforestion is occuring rapdily there is less trees to take in carbon dioxide so the amount of carbon dioxide increases. With the amount of carbon dioxide increased more heat is absorbed and it is stuck on the Earth. \n\nAlso another form of global warming is the depletion of the ozone layer. CFC's contains a chemical that destroys the Ozone layer and the Ozone layer is a protective shield of the Earth. It gets rid of the harmfull sun's ultraviolet rays and without the ozone layer the UV rays can freely enter the Earth.