Global Warming

Essay by edgargdoUniversity, Bachelor'sF, October 2004

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Global Warming is described as the progressive gradual rise of the earth's surface temperature thought to be caused by the greenhouse effect and responsible for changes in global climate patterns. The greenhouse effect is the absorption of energy radiated from the Earth's surface by carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, causing the atmosphere to become warmer. The greenhouse effect is what is causing the temperature on the Earth to rise, and creating many problems that will begin to occur in the coming decades. Greenhouse effect is the effect produced as greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere, but prevent part of the outgoing infrared radiation from the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere from escaping into outer space. This process occurs naturally and has kept the Earth's temperature about 59 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than it would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could not be sustained without the natural greenhouse effect.

The natural gases in the greenhouse effect are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), ozone (O3), as well as other trace gases. Life could not exist if there was no natural greenhouse effect.

What is Global Warming?

Scientist refers to Global Warming as the warming of the atmosphere near the earth. These changes cause a worldwide problem to our earth's atmosphere. This problem also called, "Greenhouse Effect." Greenhouse warming is global warming due to increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, etc.) whereas, Global Warming refers only to the observation that the Earth is warming, without any indication of what might be causing the warming (http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/paleo/globalwarming/what.html).

Scientist believes that fossil fuels and other human activities are the problems that increase the concentration of carbon dioxide. Fossil fuels from cars and trucks, fuel to heat our homes and businesses all...