types of greenhouse gases - kqed public media · some of this infrared radiation and warming the...

The Greenhouse Effect 1. Energy (radiation) from the sun passes through the atmosphere where most of it is absorbed by the Earth. 2. Some infrared radiation (heat) is reflected back into space. 3. Greenhouse gases act like a blanket, trapping some of this infrared radiation and warming the atmosphere which in turn warms Earth’s surface. This process is called the greenhouse effect. Without greenhouse gases, the average temperature on Earth would be 60º F cooler and life on Earth would look very different than it does today. 4. Increased amounts of greenhouse gases, produced through human activities, act to strengthen the natural greenhouse gas effect. 5. The enhanced greenhouse effect leads to increased average global surface temperatures and climate changes. Types of greenhouse gases Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere. These gases can be naturally occurring or human-produced. Major greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) Methane (CH 4 ) Water vapor (H 2 0) Other greenhouse gases: Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) Sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) Sources of greenhouse gases Activities resulting in anthropogenic (human- produced) greenhouse gas emissions include: Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) • Burning of fossil fuels including coal, oil and gas in power plants, automobiles and industry • Deforestation Methane (CH 4 ) • Landfills • Agriculture • Coal mines • Oil and natural gas operations Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) • Use of nitrogen fertilizers • Burning of fossil fuels • Some industrial and waste management processes Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and Sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ): • As byproducts of industry • Through leakage Science ready to EXPLORE CO 2 1 5 3 4 2 1 5 3 4 2

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Page 1: Types of greenhouse gases - KQED Public Media · some of this infrared radiation and warming the ... global surface temperatures and climate changes. Types of greenhouse gases

The Greenhouse Effect1. Energy(radiation)fromthesunpasses

throughtheatmospherewheremostofitisabsorbedbytheEarth.

2. Someinfraredradiation(heat)isreflectedbackintospace.

3. Greenhousegasesactlikeablanket,trappingsomeofthisinfraredradiationandwarmingtheatmospherewhichinturnwarmsEarth’ssurface.Thisprocessiscalledthegreenhouseeffect.Withoutgreenhousegases,theaveragetemperatureonEarthwouldbe60ºFcoolerandlifeonEarthwouldlookverydifferentthanitdoestoday.

4. Increasedamountsofgreenhousegases,producedthroughhumanactivities,acttostrengthenthenaturalgreenhousegaseffect.

5. Theenhancedgreenhouseeffectleadstoincreasedaverageglobalsurfacetemperaturesandclimatechanges.

Types of greenhouse gasesGreenhousegasesaregasesthattrapheatinEarth’satmosphere.Thesegasescanbenaturallyoccurringorhuman-produced.

Major greenhouse gases:Carbondioxide(CO2)Methane(CH4)Watervapor(H20)

Other greenhouse gases:Nitrousoxide(N2O)Hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs)Perfluorocarbons(PFCs)Sulfurhexafluoride(SF6)

Sources of greenhouse gasesActivitiesresultinginanthropogenic(human-

produced)greenhousegasemissionsinclude:

Carbon dioxide (CO2) • Burningoffossilfuelsincludingcoal,oiland

gasinpowerplants,automobilesandindustry• Deforestation

Methane (CH4) • Landfills• Agriculture• Coalmines• Oilandnaturalgasoperations

Nitrous oxide (N2O) • Useofnitrogenfertilizers• Burningoffossilfuels• Someindustrialandwaste

managementprocesses