Transcript Greenhouse Gases Produced by Humans - Nicole

Climate Change
Lesson 5
How humans effect greenhouse gas production
SNC2P
Nicole Klement
Greenhouse Gases Produced By
Humans
• Greenhouse Gases Produced by Humans:
1. ozone
2. water vapour
3. Freon and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
4. methane
5. nitrogen oxide
6. carbon dioxide
Note: we learned earlier about natural greenhouse
gases. What differs is when humans produce more the
LEVELS become MUCH higher.
•
Anthropogenic Greenhouse Effect
• When greenhouse gas levels are increased because
of humans – we call this effect:
The Anthropogenic Greenhouse effect
Carbon Dioxide
produced by humans
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
• The burning of fossil fuels (such as oil, coal, and natural gas)
used in industry, transportation, heating, electricity
generation, and cooking.
• the burning of forests (by humans) and deforestation.
• Cutting down trees takes away a natural means of storing
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Carbon Dioxide
Produced by humans
• Forests are considered to be carbon dioxide “sinks”
because they store carbon dioxide.
• In 2005, deforestation caused almost 3% of the total
greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.
• Worldwide, deforestation accounts for approximately
20% of human caused greenhouse gas emissions.
• Deforestation releases carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere because it disrupts trees and soil in the
forest.
Water Vapour
produced by humans
• Water vapour is added to the atmosphere
by the burning of fossil fuels.
Methane Gas
produced by Humans
• Methane Gas (CH4):
• A waste gas when anaerobic bacteria break down
organic material such as garbage,
• rice cultivation,
• industries,
• leaks in gas pipes,
• the flatulence of cattle.
Cow farts
Bad for the greenhouse effect
• Cow farts – methane being used – news:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8QCDHAG9tk
Methane Gas
produced by Humans (animals)
• Methane enters the atmosphere and absorbs the
reflected heat from the Earth.
• Methane gas, though less in quantity is more potent
in its ability to absorb heat than carbon dioxide.
• This enhances the natural greenhouse effect and
causes the Earth to increase in temperature
Nitrous oxide (N2O):
• Nitrous oxide is produced during the burning
of fossil fuels in vehicles, burning of fossil fuels
in industries, manufacturing of nylon, and the
use of nitrogen fertilizers.
Ground Level Ozone (O3):
Ground-level ozone
• produced when solar energy reacts with
emissions from industries and vehicles and
with gases from solvents.
• Ozone has a sharp odour and stings the eyes.
Atmospheric Vs. Ground level
Ozone
• Did you know that upper-level ozone is
important because it absorbs some of the
harmful UV radiation from the Sun preventing
it from reaching the Earth's surface?
• CFCs break down and release chlorine gas that
harms the protective ozone layer. One atom of
chlorine can destroy over 100 000 molecules
of ozone.
Annual Green House Gas Emission
The circle graphs show the
human activities that produce
carbon dioxide, methane, and
nitrous oxide gases (year 2000).
Data is estimated by the
Emission Database for Global
Atmospheric Research.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs):
Chlorofluorocarbons released into the air during the manufacturing or when
the products are used carelessly.
• Some products that use CFCs are:
• refrigerators
• air conditioners
• insulating gas in foam plastics,
• as a propellant in aerosol sprays,
• The use of CFCs has been linked to the ozone depletion and ozone holes
that have developed over the North and South Poles.
Did you know?
• Did you know that the use of CFCs have been
banned in Canada?
• In 1987, the Montreal Protocol agreement
was signed by 46 nations to plan a reduction
in the production and use of
chlorofluorocarbons.
Big Ideas
• Global climate change is affected by both
natural and human factors
• Climate change affects living things and
natural systems in a variety of ways, most
notably by causing global warming.
Global warming
Over the past decades scientists have noticed an
increase in average GLOBAL temperature.
Though the earth’s average temperature is
increasing it is possible for some specific
locations to not get warmer.
Refers to an average increase in ONE part of
weather – air temperature.
Green house gas simulator
• MIT created a simulation using the idea of a
bathtub to explain anthropogenic greenhouse
gas levels and required changes:
• http://scripts.mit.edu/~jfmartin/sip/master/