Geograph - Climatology: Climate Change

INDEX:

Greenhouse effect……………………………………………….page 2 to 8 Global warming…………………………………………………..page 9 to 12 Ozone depletion……….…………………………………………page 13 to 17 Desertification………….…………………………………………page18 to 20 Acid Rain………………….………………………………………page 21 to 25 Rise in sea level………….…………………………………….page 26 to 29 Environmental problems in Argentina………………..page 30 to 36

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Greenhouse Effects

If it were not for greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere, the Earth would be a very cold place. Greenhouse gases keep the Earth warm through a process called the greenhouse effect. The Earth gets energy from the sun in the form of sunlight. The Earth's surface absorbs some of this energy and heats up. That's why the surface of a road can feel hot even after the sun has gone down—because it has absorbed a lot of energy from the sun. The Earth cools down by giving off a different form of energy, called infrared radiation. But before all this radiation can escape to outer space, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb some of it, which makes the atmosphere warmer. As the atmosphere gets warmer, it makes the Earth's surface warmer too.

What Is Radiation?

Radiation is the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles which cause ionization. It's true that there are certain types of radiation that are bad for us, but other types of radiation are important parts of life. When you feel heat from the sun, see all the colors around you, or listen to the radio, you are actually experiencing different types of radiation.

These types of radiation are all part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which means they involve energy traveling in the form of a wave. Different types of radiation have different wavelengths.

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Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases come from all sorts of everyday activities, such as using electricity, heating our homes, and driving around town. They trap heat in the atmosphere, which makes the...