Greenhouse Gases

Mary | Sep 24, 2010 |

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Greenhouse gases are the gases in the atmosphere which trap heat and contribute to global warming. These are both naturally occurring and manmade pollutants.

The most familiar greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide pollution is a result of the burning of fossil fuels. Factories, automobiles, and household waste all contribute to the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Naturally occurring carbon dioxide is produced by volcanic eruptions and the respiration of animals. There are other ways that carbon is put into the atmosphere but we'll just stick to those two for the moment.

A lesser known greenhouse gas is water vapor. Although additional water vapor can be put into the atmosphere by the activities of humans it isn't believed to be a major factor in global warming. There is a large amount of water vapor in the atmosphere at all times and it helps to keep the planet warm enough life to exist.

Naturally occurring water vapor is caused by the evaporation of water. A little extra water is evaporated by the irrigation of agricultural industries but it is a very minor increase.

The carbon cycle is vital to life on the planet. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen which animals take in and in turn re-release carbon dioxide. That is probably the most basic description of the carbon cycle that could be written. It is more complicated than that but that will suffice. Deforestation of the land has caused there to be fewer large plants to assist in the carbon cycle.

As society has become more industrialized there has been a sharp increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As it increases people have become concerned that the temperature of the planet is rising in an unnatural way. What will happen to the planet during this time is being debated and regulated. Just what will happen is unknown but speculation about the melting glaciers and rising ocean levels, and what impact they will have on us is still to be discovered.