what is global warming and what are its causes and effects?
815930
Global warming is the latest trend by Governments of the world to try to convince the population that we are at fault for warming the world.  The world's weather and climate has been changing regularly over the last 15,000 years - before cars and planes were invented.  Carbon dioxide is one of the most prolific gasses in our atmosphere because it is needed for plants to survive.  Without CO2, the plants would die and we would have no oxygen which is a by product of a plant and we would all die!  Remember all the other scare stories over the years - in the 60s it was nuclear bombs from Russia, then we had SARS and bird flu, then terrorists and don't forget the hole in the ozone layer.  Every couple of years, we get a major scare story to keep the world's population under control.  The effect of global warming is that we are all paying out so called green taxes that actually do nothing to stop the problem but it sure makes the Governments rich!  What is the point of worrying about future global warming when now you have people freezing to death in the winter because they cannot afford to heat their homes because the price of gas and electric has risen so much because of green taxes?  Or we are getting plagues of rats and other vermin because Councils only collect our rubbish every two weeks because recycling is top priority?  We really should solve todays problems first before we start worrying about something that will most likely never happen.
156572
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. In 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 about 33 °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 further illuminate and quantify the processes and factors that can affect temperature change, especially positive and negative feedback mechanisms.
304041
Exactly none. There is a finite amount of energy stored on the planet in the form of fossil fuels. Burning it releases this energy. You cannot add more. There has been heat RELEASED by the burning of fossil fuels onthe planet, which many people believe causes global warming. The only heat energy added to the planet is solar energy.
447054
the sun..... the sun is the only thing responsible for warming the earth. Dont get me wrong ...pollution and greenhouse gases also contribute. But they are not the only reason. We are in a short period of warm temperatures on earth. A small window in time. We just got out of an ice age about 12-15ooo years ago. We have had longer periods of global Ice Ages than we have of global warm periods in the last few million years.... Did u know that a violent volcano can spew enough greenhouse gas into the atmosphere to warm our atmospheric temperatures several degrees. Pollution does the same thing but on a smaller scale. This gas traps the earths heat from escaping back into space. Its like a blanket for our atmosphere. Then the earth gets warm, and creates more water vapor from the oceans. More water vapor means more clouds. More clouds mean less sunlight hitting the surface of earth, less sunlight means less heat, less heat means more ice.. and we go back into an ice age.... then the earth fixes herself, we start to get warmer.... and we go on and on.... Its been happening like that for millions of years. If it wasent for global warming we wouldnt be alive and the earth would be covered with seals, penguins, polar bears and wolly mammoths.
1154290
climate change is a natural effect. Global Warming is caused by man.
545771
Effects of deforestation.\n\nthis can be a local problem with global consequences.\n\ncan be biology and chemsitry (maybe physics as well, heat flows etc.)
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.
296292
global warming is real. its extremey or may not be related toinitially global warming causes the polar caps to melong termea water to rise and become lower in saline concentrations.\nthe lower the salt content the less the currents of the ocean flow and the COLDER the winters get (warm water not moving away from the equator) \nin natural cycles the more extreeme cold kills off organisms initally resulting in HIGHER greenhouse gases, but longterm the "ice age" that follows will leave less life (and death) reducing the overall emissions. this also increases the amount of icebound water increasing the salinity in the oceans returning the currenty\n\nSo You decide on the cause but it is real and geologically recorded again and again.
720744
How about the effects of globalization on the developing world?\n\nThe effect of global warming on the Arctic
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 .
383762
to start with i will give you some of the bad news and finish with possible solutions.some of which are already in process.\n\nGLOBAL WARMING IS ONE OF THE MEGA THREATS OF THE PLANET EARTH AND IS AN EFFECT OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL MISMANAGEMENT\n\nCARBON MONOXIDE\nchief causes for global warming are the destruction of the ozone and excessive carbon production ,because we have so many cars and so much land is being deforrested.\n\nthe trees absorb carbon emisions ,which is poison to us and they produce oxygen which we need to breathe.\n\nthe sea does as well but this is limited to winter periods how ever if the waters also heat up ,the seas will absorb less than ususal and we create more and more\n\nthe trees produce the air that we need to breathe.\ndeforestation must be stopped before desertification goes out of control and consumes the planet.\n\nother reasons are the burning of rubbish especially tires and plastic,and the exescive use of aerosprays which release gasses\n\nbecause of the green house effect and the desertification this planet is heating up\nEach degree rise in temperature signifies 10% crop loss\n\nDESERTIFICATION\nthe sahara is growing by 7 kilometres every day.\ntwo major desserts in northern china are growing together making one giant dessert and,causing dust storms so making thousands of people refugeese\n\nthe trees evaporate a mist which ,which protects us from the strong rays of the sun .\n\nthe planet is drying out at an alarming rate.\n\nin the days of the dinasaurs this planet was under an aquiferus manta ,a mist that covered the entire earth ,and there were no desserts .\nCount how many there are today,and all of them are as a result of mans actions.\nthe sahara used to be forrests\narabia ,irak ,iran used to be fertile lands in biblical times\nGhengas Kahn burned all the forrests here and filled the well with water and so turning vast lands into dessert.\n\nBad agricultural practises is turning vast teritories into desserts ,because of over grazing and the exessive pumping of carbon aquifiers ,the surface aquifiers already having been depleted.\nAnd the use of fertilisers and heavy machinery that compacts the ground which raises the salt in the soil.\nModern agriculture today is doing the same as ghengas kahn but in much bigger territories.\n\n\nit is a vicious circle of chain effects \nmore and more CO2,,and less and less factors that obsorb\nand hotter and hotter.\n\nAND AS A RESULT WE HAVE LESS AND LESS DRINKABLE WATER\nWATERSHORTAGE\neach year 70 million more people are consuming water but this is ,but a small part of what agriculture uses.\n\nso our consumption of water is ever increasing and our drinkable water supply is shrinking because of polution ,and the production of potable water is less all the time because of deforestation.\n\nin Tasmania one can already exchange one litre of water for 2 litres of petrol.\nit is predicted that the wars of the future will be for water.\nthe water we got in most populated places must be treated or purified before it is acceptable for human consumption.\n\nin Portugal and soutern Spain ,as in many places, wine is cheaper than water.Which would explain the many drunk people there\n\nwe are living in a bubble economy and when the bubble bursts\nfood prices will sky rocket,and so will the price of water.\n\nthe wars of the future will be for water\n\n\n\nRISING SEAS\nThe northpole is melting ,and we will know it without ice in our life times.\nthis does not affect the sea level because it is ice that is already in the water.\n\nGreen land and the south pole ,which apperantly has a hole in the ozone the size of the usa,are another matter.\nthis is ice above the sea ,on the land, and melted water will return to the sea .and so duely affect sea levels.the sea has been rising for a long time.\nin portugal remains of Roman villas have been discovered 3/4 of a mile in the sea,and in one town the locals say that the sea is eating their town ,in recent years the D
978974
The missing link between air pollution and gobal warming is a concept that you've probably heard of before known as the greenhouse effect.  \n\nThe greenhouse effect is caused by an increase in certain pollutants (known as greenhouse gasses) that are released into the atmosphere.  If enough water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane (and other culprits) are present in the atmosphere, it turns the atmosphere into a "greenhouse" in a way.  Short wavelength infra-red radiation that comes from the sun has enough energy to get through the layer of greenhouse gasses and enter our lower atmosphere, but when these rays contact the Earth, they lose some energy.  \n\nAfter they lose energy, they become longer wavelength infra-red rays, which tend not to have enough energy to break back through the layer of gasses.  These rays are absorbed by the greenhouse gasses, then sent back down to the Earth, further heating the planet.\n\nBasically, if you increase the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, you let the same amount of heat in, but not as much heat gets out.  The overall temperature of the Earth rises, polar ice caps melt.  Bad stuff happens.\n\nThe best example of this is Venus, which has a thick layer of carbon dioxide (among other things) in its atmosphere.  Thus, the mean temperature of Venus is around 737K, far hotter than Mercury at 440K, even though Mercury is closer to the sun.  \n\nHope this helps.
452215
Well Global warming is a great threat, it is damaging planet earth. I was reading in this physics book about the effects of global warming and it stated that the rising levels of harmful chemical gases in the earth's atmosphere could damage the earth forever. It says the with the build up of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen, methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere, a giant chemical ring will form around the earth's atmosphere blocking sunlight coming into earth, so therefore the earth turns into "lo" one of jupiter's many moons. I'm not saying that this is true, but that's what i read in my book.
744042
Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth's global climate or in 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 processes internal to the Earth, be driven by external forces (e.g. variations in sunlight intensity) or, most recently, be caused by human activities.\n\nclick here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change
27420
GLOBAL WARMING!!! this is a big issue. you could research a lot on that. or you could do the war in Iraq.
279159
The ozone layer protects the earth from ultraviolet radiation from the sun.  Some does (and is supposed to) get through in order to keep us from freezing.  But too much UV radiation heats the earth more than necessary (and causes sunburns.  Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases (Carbon dioxide being the most prevalent) which trap the heat inside the atmosphere, causing the earth to get warmer and warmer.
239270
Carcinogens causing global warming?!?!?!  NO.  Don't go rambling about things you don't understand.  Carcinogens are cancer-causing agents--things that mutate DNA.  Global warming is the result of greenhouse gases, which are gases that absorb more energy from sunlight than N2 and O2 do.\n\nI think at this point, we can certainly imagine that the problem is almost undoubtedly exacerbated by the burning of fossil fuels.  It sure can't be helping.  There is some debate as to whether or not the effects are the largest part of the problem, or whether we're coming out of an Ice Age anyways, and hence the gradual warming was unavoidable.\n\nWorse than gas buring in my opinion is the deliberate destruction of rainforests, which not only produces a great deal of CO2, but which also destoys an ecosystem that works to remove CO2 from the air.