Which of the following gases is most responsible for the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Which of the following gases is most responsible for the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Of the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most prominent. Sources of atmospheric CO2 include volcanoes, the combustion and decay of organic matter, respiration by aerobic (oxygen-using) organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels, clearing of land, and production of cement by humans.

Will recovery of the ozone layer be a rapid or a slow process?

Ozone is formed near the Earth’s surface from automotive exhaust. Will recovery of the ozone layer be a rapid or slow process? It will be a slow process because even though many countries have decided to regulate CFCs, CFC molecules can stay active in the stratosphere for 60 to 120 years.

Are greenhouse gases concentration in the stratosphere?

The concentration in stratosphere. About 90% of the ozone in Earth’s atmosphere is contained in the stratosphere. In addition to the main greenhouse gases listed above, other greenhouse gases include sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons (see IPCC list of greenhouse gases).

How long do greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere?

Once it’s added to the atmosphere, it hangs around, for a long time: between 300 to 1,000 years. Thus, as humans change the atmosphere by emitting carbon dioxide, those changes will endure on the timescale of many human lives.

What would Earth be like without the greenhouse effect?

Without the greenhouse effect, Earth’s average temperature would drop. Now, it is about 57 degrees Fahrenheit (14 degrees Celsius). It could drop to as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 degrees Celsius). The weather would go from mild to very cold.

How long will it take for the ozone layer to be destroyed?

The ozone layer is expected to return to normal levels by about 2050. But, it is very important that the world comply with the Montreal Protocol; delays in ending production and use of ozone-depleting substances could cause additional damage to the ozone layer and prolong its recovery.

Why can’t we make more ozone?

A big reason we can’t make more ozone to send into the upper atmosphere is because it would take a LOT of energy. In the atmosphere, this huge amount of energy comes from the sun. We also don’t have a way to transport the ozone to the right places in the atmosphere.

What are the primary sources for chlorine oxides in the stratosphere?

First, measurements have shown that the chlorinated species that rise to the stratosphere are primarily manufactured compounds [mainly CFCs, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, and the hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) substitutes for CFCs], together with small amounts of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and methyl chloride ( …

What happens as the amount of ozone in the stratosphere decreases?

Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Without ozone, the Sun’s intense UV radiation would sterilize the Earth’s surface. These reduced ozone levels have increased the amount of harmful ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth’s surface.

How long do greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere?

Once it’s added to the atmosphere, it hangs around, for a long time: between 300 to 1,000 years.

How do we know earth’s climate is warming now?

The physical and biological changes that confirm climate warming include the rate of retreat in glaciers around the world, the intensification of rainfall events, changes in the timing of the leafing out of plants and the arrival of spring migrant birds, and the shifting of the range of some species.

How long do chlorofluorocarbons stay in the atmosphere?

These compounds are chemically inert and may remain in the atmosphere for 40-150 years, and concentrations can be expected to reach 10 to 30 times present levels. Photodissociation of the chlorofluoromethanes in the stratosphere produces significant amounts of chlorine atoms, and leads to the destruction of atmospheric ozone.”

How are chlorofluorocarbons related to the destruction of the ozone?

Photodissociation of the chlorofluoromethanes in the stratosphere produces significant amounts of chlorine atoms, and leads to the destruction of atmospheric ozone.” From an environmental standpoint, ozone is a confusing molecule.

How are chlorofluorocarbons used in refrigeration?

That stratospheric ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiation that otherwise would reach the surface of Earth. At the time, CFCs were in wide use in refrigeration, air conditioning and aerosol spray cans. The compounds are inert and essentially nontoxic, characteristics that made them well-suited for these applications.

When did chlorofluoromethanes start being used in the environment?

By the early 1970s, CFCs were in widespread use, and worldwide production of the compounds had reached nearly one million tons per year, representing roughly a $500 million slice of the chemical industry. Chlorofluoromethanes are being added to the environment in steadily increasing amounts.