Global Warming: Fact or Fiction

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction

Outline

I. Introduction

A. Definition of Global Warming

1. Water Vapor

2. Greenhouse Gases

B. Scientific Data of Global Warming

1. Temperature

2. Percentage of Greenhouse Gases

C. Myths and Facts of Global Warming

1. Facts

2. Myths

II. Conclusion

Abstract

Global Warming is not something to joke about. It can be a serious thing that affects the whole world and the things in it. Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can kill off many species of plants since plants can only take in so much of it. Global Warming heats up the lakes, rivers, and oceans causing the water temperature to rise. This produces more water vapor which in turn causes more rainfall and other severe weather worldwide. Is Global Warming going to hurt the earth or make it better? Some people believe in different things. You be the judge of what Global Warming will do.

Global Warming: Fact or Fiction

Global Warming is one of the leading controversies around. There are two sides of the controversy, those who believe and then those who think that it is all a hoax. Some scientists believe that Global Warming comes from too much carbon dioxide while other think that water vapor is the only cause. Humans are pouring carbon dioxide into the atmosphere much faster than plants and oceans can absorb it (National Geographic, 2007).

Global Warming is an increase in the atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the greenhouse effect especially from pollution (Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online, 2012). When there is a change in the Earth's temperature, it may change the rainfall patterns and make the sea levels rise. It can also impact human life, wildlife, and plant life.

Water vapor is the most abundant and important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. However, human activities have only a small direct influence on the amount of atmospheric water vapor. Indirectly, humans have the potential to affect water vapor substantially by changing climate. For example, a warmer atmosphere contains more water vapor. Human activities also influence water vapor through methane emissions, because methane undergoes chemical destruction in the stratosphere, producing a small amount of water vapor (Bradley, 2009). When the temperature of the atmosphere rises, water is evaporated from rivers, oceans, reservoirs, and soil. As the air gets warmer, it can hold more water leading to more water vapor. The high concentration of water vapor absorbs more infrared radiation. As water vapor increases in the atmosphere, more of it will eventually also condense into clouds, which are more able to reflect incoming solar radiation (thus allowing less energy to reach the Earth's surface and heat it up) (noaa.gov, 2012).

Greenhouse gases are made up of many different compounds such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. These gases absorb the infrared radiation that bounces off the earth's surface and traps the heat in the atmosphere. Over time, the amount of energy sent from the sun to the Earth's surface should be about the same as the amount of energy radiated back into space, leaving the temperature of the Earth's surface roughly constant (eia.gov, 2004). It is said that aerosols are other gases that affect the greenhouse gases which is caused by humans. It is said by eia.gov that the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases generally produce an increase in the average temperature of the Earth. A National Research Council study dated May 2001 stated, "Greenhouse gases are accumulating in Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activities, causing surface air temperatures and sub-surface ocean temperatures to rise. Temperatures are, in fact, rising. The changes observed over the last several decades are likely mostly due to human activities, but we cannot rule out that some significant part of these changes is also a reflection of natural variability." (eia.gov). Greenhouse gases come most commonly from energy