Global Warming: Are Humans to Blame?
Global Warming: Are Humans to Blame?
Kelly Gaffney
October 10, 2011
SCI 207
Instructor Reale
In order to understand the issue of global warming (also referred to as climate change), you must first understand what it means and how it happens. Global warming is a result of a process known as the greenhouse effect, in which the light and heat from the sun are trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere by greenhouse gases; which subsequently raises the average temperature on Earth. The greenhouse gases responsible for this process are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and tropospheric ozone, all of which are released into the atmosphere through naturally occurring processes (Warrick, R. & Farmer, G., 1990). As the global air and water temperatures rise, snow and icecaps melt leading to rising sea levels and the warmer water temperatures spawn more powerful tropical storms (hurricanes, tsunamis, etc.). Although global warming is a natural process and has been occurring since Earth’s creation, scientists have noticed a significant increase in the average temperature on Earth since the beginning of industrialization and a subsequently increasing use of fossil fuels. The greatest debate surrounding the issue of global warming is whether human activity is responsible for the rapidly increasing temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and whether there is anything we can do to change it.
The Human Factor In 1896, it was discovered by Svante Arrhenius that humans could alter the greenhouse effect with the release of excess carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide is the most important of the greenhouse gases in terms of trapping heat and causing global climate change, therefore, the slightest alteration could have a short term effect on temperature. Since Arrhenius’s discovery, there have been various scientists who have discovered in what ways human activities impact the greenhouse
Kelly Gaffney
October 10, 2011
SCI 207
Instructor Reale
In order to understand the issue of global warming (also referred to as climate change), you must first understand what it means and how it happens. Global warming is a result of a process known as the greenhouse effect, in which the light and heat from the sun are trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere by greenhouse gases; which subsequently raises the average temperature on Earth. The greenhouse gases responsible for this process are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and tropospheric ozone, all of which are released into the atmosphere through naturally occurring processes (Warrick, R. & Farmer, G., 1990). As the global air and water temperatures rise, snow and icecaps melt leading to rising sea levels and the warmer water temperatures spawn more powerful tropical storms (hurricanes, tsunamis, etc.). Although global warming is a natural process and has been occurring since Earth’s creation, scientists have noticed a significant increase in the average temperature on Earth since the beginning of industrialization and a subsequently increasing use of fossil fuels. The greatest debate surrounding the issue of global warming is whether human activity is responsible for the rapidly increasing temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and whether there is anything we can do to change it.
The Human Factor In 1896, it was discovered by Svante Arrhenius that humans could alter the greenhouse effect with the release of excess carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide is the most important of the greenhouse gases in terms of trapping heat and causing global climate change, therefore, the slightest alteration could have a short term effect on temperature. Since Arrhenius’s discovery, there have been various scientists who have discovered in what ways human activities impact the greenhouse
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