GREENHOUSE GASES

Greenhouse Gas
- A gas that absorbs and emits
radiant energy within the thermal
infrared range.
Electricity & Heat:
This is power plants, steam
plants, industrial sources of
electricity and heat – this
isn’t your use of heat or
electricity at home.
Burning of coal, natural gas
and other fossil fuels are
the largest source of
greenhouse gas emissions
worldwide.
Agriculture & Land:
Deforestation, emissions from
livestock. This also includes fuel
used for agriculture, forestry and
fishing, direct soil emissions and
forest fire.

Industry:
Metal Production, chemical
manufacturing and use, cement
production and numerous other
products from paper to
semiconductors are significant
contributors.
Transportation:
Perhaps the most visible source
of emissions comes form
transportation.

Other Energy:
Petroleum refining to make fuel
and other products, and fugitive
emissions from leaking pipelines
are serious and challenging
issues.
Food Waste:
Food waste starts well before it
leaves the farm, and continues
through distribution, storage, at
markets and restaurants, and all
the ways to your kitchen.

Buildings:
Energy used in commercial and
residential buildings, including
refrigerator and air conditioning,
and even fire extinguishers.
 Types of Greenhouse Gases
Water Vapor (H2O):
It blocks the heat from escaping, so it gets warmer.
Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
It is released when burning fossil fuels like coal and oil. It is the most
important contributor to human-caused global warming.
Methane (CH4):
It traps a lot of heat. 2nd most contributor to human-caused global
warming of all the greenhouse gases.
Ozone:
Close to the ground, ozone acts as greenhouse gas and can be formed by
burning gas in cars and factories.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O):
It is released by some types of factories, power plants, and plant fertilizer.
It damages the protective ozone layer and is a powerful greenhouse gas.
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs):
Flourinated gases are not created in nature. They damage the protective
ozone layer and are powerful greenhouse gases.
 Types of Greenhouse Gases
There are several types of greenhouse
gases. The major ones are carbon
dioxide, water vapor, methane, and
nitrous oxide. The atoms are held
together loosely enough that they
vibrate when they absorb heat.
Eventually, the vibrating molecule will
release the radiation. The radiation will
likely be absorbed by another
greenhouse gas molecule. This process,
which keeps heat near the Earth’s
surface, is called greenhouse effect.
 Properties of Greenhouse Gases

Key Properties
a) Wavelength of the energy the gas absorbs
b) How much energy it absorbs, and
c) How long the gas remains in the atmosphere
Global Warming
- A gradual
increase in the
overall temperature
of the Earth’s
atmosphere. it is a
major aspect of
climate change.
 Climate Change
- It is a long-term shift in global or regional climate patterns. Often
climate change refers specifically to the rise in global temperatures
from the mid 20th century to present.

Causes Effects
1. Human Causes 1. Rise in Sea Level
a. Burning of Fossil Fuels 2. Heavy Rainfall Across the
b. Agriculture Globe
c. Coal Mining 3. Extreme Drought
d. Industrial Processes 4. Decline in crop
2. Natural Causes Productivity
e. Volcanic Activity 5. Ecosystems are Changing
f. Ocean Current 6. Hurricanes
g. Earth Orbital Changes 7. Rise in Temperatures
h. Solar Variations 8. Carbon Dioxide Acidifies
Seawater
 Greenhouse Effect
-it is the process by which radiation from a planet’s atmosphere warms the planet’s
surface to a temperature above what it would be without this atmosphere. Radiatively
active gases in a planet’s atmosphere radiate energy in all directions.
 Greenhouse Effect
-it is the process by which radiation from a planet’s atmosphere warms the planet’s
surface to a temperature above what it would be without this atmosphere. Radiatively
active gases in a planet’s atmosphere radiate energy in all directions.

Causes Effects
1. Burning of fossil fuels Global Warming
2. Deforestation • Disturbed Ecosystem
3. Increase in population • Melting of Polar Ice
4. Farming • Flooding of Islands and
5. Industrial waste and Coastal Cities
landfills Migration of Species
On human,
1. Food shortage
2. Spread of diseases
and pandemics
 Types Greenhouse Effect
Natural Greenhouse Effect
Most of the sun’s radiation reaches
the Earth’s surface. Naturally
occurring heat-trapping gases, do
not absorb the short-wave energy
from the sun but do absorb the
long-wave energy re-radiated from
the Earth, keeping the planet much
warmer than it would be otherwise.

Greenhouse Effect Intensified by Humans

In this stylized representation of the human-intensified
greenhouse effect, human activities, predominantly the burning
of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), are increasing levels of carbon
dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, increasing the natural
greenhouse effect and thus Earth’s temperature.
 Sources
• universityofcalifornia.edu
• climate.nasa.gov
• windows2universe.org
• wikipedia.com
• wwf.org.au
• www.nationalgeographic.com
• slideshare.net
• conserve-energy-future.com
• globalchange.gov