Greenhouse Effect and Energy Balance By: Andrew Thorson, Connor Page, Ken Umezono, Avery Anderson

Main Greenhouse Gases CH 4 Methane Emitted naturally through manure and wetlands Emitted through landfills and petroleum systems H 2 O Water vapor (Dihydrogen Monoxide) Emitted naturally through the hydrologic cycle Emitted through agriculture, man-made bodies of water, and combustion of fossil fuels

Main Greenhouse Gases Continued CO 2 Carbon Dioxide Emitted naturally through decomposition, respiration, oceans, and volcanoes Emitted through combustion of fossil fuels (cars, electricity, etc.) N 2 O Nitrous Oxide Emitted naturally through the earth’s nitrogen cycle Emitted through agriculture, production of nitric acid, and burning fossil fuels

Greenhouse Effect Process The greenhouse effect is the process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface to a temperature above what it would be in the absence of its atmosphere.

Infrared Radiation Gases absorb infrared radiation, go into a higher energy state Drop down to normal state, release (thermal) energy Some energy escapes, some absorbed by other molecules to repeat process

Energy Balance on Earth In the absence of greenhouse gasses, the absence of an atmosphere, a planet cannot maintain sustainable temperatures and becomes lifeless like the Moon and Mars. In the other side of the spectrum, having too many gasses will cause a planet to overheat, conserving too much energy and burning away all chances of life, like in Venus. The Earth needs to maintain an equilibrium, a fine balance between too few and too many greenhouse gasses. The issue of global warming is an issue of balance, we need to maintain levels of greenhouse gasses that allow heat and energy to radiate back into space, while still reflecting enough energy back at the surface to support life.

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