The earth's atmosphere

The fact that the temperature on Earth is appropriate for human life, being between the freezing point and boiling point of water, isn't just due to the distant between the Earth's orbit and that of the Sun (The Greenhouse). It is also due to the atmosphere that surrounds it. Parts of Earth's atmosphere act as a shield, insulating it with just the right thickness to trap in sufficient solar energy to keep the average global temperature within a liveable range. This insulating layer is composed of a collection of atmospheric gases known as "greenhouse gases" because the gases trap heat, as do the glass walls of a greenhouse. The gases are mainly water vapor (H20), carbon dioxide CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N20). They all act as effective global insulators to keep the Earths temperature within a constant range.

The sun radiates tremendous amounts of energy into space across the whole spectrums of wavelengths, with most of it concentrated in the visible and near-visible ranges of the spectrum (The Greenhouse). Visible light with wavelengths between 400nm and 700nm makes up 43 percent of the total energy emitted by the sun. Shorter wavelengths make up about seven or 8 percent, and these are very important because of their high energy. Ultraviolet energy has very high energy and is capable of breaking stable biological molecules apart. It is also the wavelength which causes sunburns and skin cancers. The longer wavelengths making up the remain

Related Essays

Global Temperatures .... effect. Briefly, the cycle works as follows. Heat emitted from the sun enters the earth=s atmosphere through the ozone layer. This .... (1827 7 )

Global Warming .... Bregman, 1998). Gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere trap the sun=s heat and help warm Earth=s land and water. Without the .... (6253 25 )

Effect of Global Warming on Third World Nations .... Bregman, 1998). Gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere trap the sun=s heat and help warm Earth=s land and water. Without the .... (6253 25 )

Nitrous Oxide Emissions .... sun=s biologically harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth=s surface (5 .... nitrous oxide, spawns related chemicals in the atmosphere which destroy .... (2102 8 )

Effects of Aircraft Emissions on Stratospheric Ozone .... sun=s biologically harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth=s surface (5 .... nitrous oxide, spawns related chemicals in the atmosphere which destroy .... (2102 8 )

Depletion of the Ozone Layer The Earth's upper atmosphere cont .... The chemicals that damage the Earth's stratosphere have .... In 1974, Ralph Cicerone and Richard S. Stolarski of .... they were released into the atmosphere (Cooper, 1992 .... (3020 12 )

e equivalent carbon dioxide heat absorption, anthropogenic contributions to the greenhouse effect are water vapor 0.001 percent; carbon dioxide 0.117 percent; methane 0.066 percent; nitrous oxide 0.047 percent; and CFCs and other miscellaneous gases 0.047 percent, for a total of 0.28 percent. The Kyoto Protocol calls for reducing man-made carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent by developed countries (Hieb). It would only reduce human greenhouse contributions of carbon dioxide by roughly 0.035 percent, which is less than the Earth's natural variability. Changes in the ability of the atmosphere to support a greater concentration of gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide may play a significant role in global warming. Mankind can do nothing about greenhouse water vapor. Impacts of Global Warming There are recognizable harbingers of global warming - changes which suggest the climate is heating up (Global/Harbingers). Warmer temperatures bring outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases to areas where they have never been encountered before. They carry such diseases as malaria and dengue fever, and their range is increased as the climate heat up. Their ability to infect humans and their biting rate also increase with increasing

Category: Science - T