The Carbon CYcle
Carbon is the fourth most abundant elemant in the universe. Most of earth's carbon is stored in rocks, with the rest in the ocean, atmosphere, plants, soil, and fossil fuels. Carbon is evenly exchanged throughout earth in the carbon cycle, which allows a balance that prevents it all from entering the atmosphere, or all into rocks. In the diagram to the left, you can see that humans affect the general balence of the carbon cycle with emmisions entering the atmosphere. The emmisions thicken the atmosphere, leading to a greater greenhouse effect.
the sun's energy and The greenhouse effect
When radiation from the sun hits earth, some of it is trapped within the atmosphere surrounding the planet. When an atmosphere traps in heat, it is called a greenhouse effect. This is a good thing, because without the resulting stable heat from greenhouse effect, we all would find it difficult to survive with insanely fluctuating temputure. The effect keeps the temputure at an average 59 degrees farenhiet, and allows life on earth to exist without extreme condidtions. It is much like wearing a coat near a furnace. Some important gasses in the atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. Water vapor is the most abundant, and increases in volume as the temputure rises. It makes up clouds and precipitation, playing a very important role in climate. Carbon dioxide is naturally released from respiration, decomposition, and volcanic activity. Some unnatural sources of carbon dioxide is deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels. Methane is a hydrocarbon gas from landfills, agriculture waste, and domestic livestock. In the last hundred years, the greenhouse gasses, particuarly carbon dioxide, have been rising dramaticly with the increase of fossil fuel burning. These gasses enter the atmosphere and thicken the blanket of gasses, eventually trapping in more thermal heat and warming the earth's natural temputure, as seen in the below image.
Climate change
The greenhouse effect is very important for life on earth, but ever since the Industrial Revolution in 1880, humans have been boosting the effect by more than it ever has been. Automobile emmisions, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation all increase carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, thickning the "blanket" around earth. This obviously will make the earth contain more heat as seen in the above picture. So what happens if the earth gets warmer? It's scary.
-Less snow and more rain. Snow benifits loose soil, as it soaks into the ground slowly and produces very little runoff.
-Melting glaiciers and sea ice. Sea levals are rising, putting low coastal land at future risk.
-Warming oceans. Hurracanes form over warm water, most often in the north Atlantic. If the sea water gets warmer, hurracanes will become more frequent.
-Extreame weather. Heat waves are already lasting longer and record-breaking heat is becomming the norm on the news.
There are many other factors and effects of climate change, and there will be apocalyptic results if this problem goes ignored. No zombies or aliens required.
-Less snow and more rain. Snow benifits loose soil, as it soaks into the ground slowly and produces very little runoff.
-Melting glaiciers and sea ice. Sea levals are rising, putting low coastal land at future risk.
-Warming oceans. Hurracanes form over warm water, most often in the north Atlantic. If the sea water gets warmer, hurracanes will become more frequent.
-Extreame weather. Heat waves are already lasting longer and record-breaking heat is becomming the norm on the news.
There are many other factors and effects of climate change, and there will be apocalyptic results if this problem goes ignored. No zombies or aliens required.