The significance of the greenhouse effect for the earth. Greenhouse effect (11) - Report

garden equipment 14.10.2019
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Aggravated in a row objective reasons the greenhouse effect has Negative consequences for the ecology of the planet. Learn more about what the greenhouse effect is, what are the causes and ways to solve the environmental problems that have arisen.

Greenhouse effect: causes and consequences

The first mention of the nature of the greenhouse effect appeared in 1827 in an article by physicist Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier. His work was based on the experience of the Swiss Nicolas Theodore de Saussure, who measured the temperature inside a vessel with tinted glass when it was placed under sunlight. The scientist found that the temperature inside is higher due to the fact that thermal energy cannot pass through the cloudy glass.

Using this experience as an example, Fourier described that not all solar energy reaching the Earth's surface is reflected into space. Greenhouse gas traps some of the heat energy in the lower layers of the atmosphere. It consists of:

  • carbonic acid;
  • methane;
  • ozone;
  • water vapor.

What is the greenhouse effect? This is an increase in the temperature of the lower atmospheric layers due to the accumulation of thermal energy that greenhouse gases hold. The atmosphere of the Earth (its lower layers) due to gases turns out to be quite dense and does not allow thermal energy to pass into space. As a result, the Earth's surface is warming up.

As of 2005, the average annual temperature of the earth's surface has increased by 0.74 degrees over the past century. In the coming years, it is expected to rise rapidly by 0.2 degrees per decade. This is an irreversible process of global warming. If the dynamics continue, then in 300 years there will be irreparable environmental changes. Therefore, humanity is threatened with extinction.

Scientists name such causes of global warming as:

  • large industrial human activity. It leads to an increase in the emission of gases into the atmosphere, which changes its composition and leads to an increase in dust content;

  • combustion of fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) at thermal power plants, in car engines. As a result, carbon dioxide emissions increase. In addition, the intensity of energy consumption is growing - with an increase in the population the globe by 2% per year, energy demand increases by 5%;
  • rapid development of agriculture. The result is an increase in methane emissions into the atmosphere (excessive production of organic fertilizers as a result of decay, emissions from biogas plants, an increase in the amount of biological waste from livestock/poultry keeping);
  • an increase in the number of landfills, which is why methane emissions are growing;
  • deforestation. It slows down the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

The consequences of global warming are monstrous for humanity and life on the planet as a whole. So, the greenhouse effect and its consequences cause a chain reaction. See for yourself:

1. Most a big problem is that due to the increase in temperature on the surface of the Earth begin to melt polar ice which causes the sea level to rise.

2. This will lead to the flooding of fertile lands in the valleys.

3. Flooding major cities(St. Petersburg, New York) and entire countries (Netherlands) will lead to social problems associated with the need to relocate people. As a result, conflicts and riots are possible.

4. Due to the warming of the atmosphere, the period of snow melting is reduced: they melt faster, and seasonal rains end faster. As a result, the number of dry days increases. According to experts, with an increase in the average annual temperature by one degree, about 200 million hectares of forests will turn into steppes.

5. Due to the decrease in the number of green spaces, the processing of carbon dioxide as a result of photosynthesis will decrease. The greenhouse effect will intensify and global warming will accelerate.

6. Due to the heating of the Earth's surface, the evaporation of water will increase, which will increase the greenhouse effect.

7. Due to the increase in the temperature of water and air, there will be a threat to the life of a number of living beings.

8. Due to the melting of glaciers and the rise in the level of the World Ocean, seasonal boundaries will shift, and climatic anomalies (storms, hurricanes, tsunamis) will become more frequent.

9. An increase in temperature on the Earth's surface will have a negative impact on human health, and in addition, it will provoke the development of epidemiological situations associated with the development of dangerous infectious diseases.

Greenhouse effect: ways to solve the problem

Global environmental problems associated with greenhouse effect, can be prevented. To do this, humanity must coordinately eliminate the causes of global warming.

What should be done first:

  1. Reduce the amount of emissions into the atmosphere. This can be achieved if more environmentally friendly equipment and mechanisms are put into operation everywhere, filters and catalysts are installed; introduce "green" technologies and processes.
  2. Reduce power consumption. To do this, it will be necessary to switch to the production of less energy-intensive products; increase efficiency at power plants; to involve programs of thermomodernization of habitation, to introduce the technologies increasing energy efficiency.
  3. Change the structure of energy sources. Increase in the total amount of generated energy the share received from alternative sources(sun, wind, water, ground temperature). Reduce the use of fossil energy sources.
  4. Develop environmentally friendly and low-carbon technologies in agriculture and industry.
  5. Increase the use of recycled raw materials.
  6. Restore forests, effectively fight forest fires, increase green spaces.

Ways to solve the problems that have arisen due to the greenhouse effect are known to everyone. Humanity needs to realize what its inconsistent actions lead to, assess the scale of the impending catastrophe and take part in saving the planet!

The problem of the greenhouse effect is especially relevant in our century, when we destroy forests to build another industrial plant, and many of us cannot imagine life without a car. We, like ostriches, hide our heads in the sand, not noticing the harm from our activities. Meanwhile, the greenhouse effect is intensifying and leading to global catastrophes.

The phenomenon of the greenhouse effect has existed since the appearance of the atmosphere, although it was not so noticeable. Nevertheless, its study began long before the active use of cars and.

Brief definition

The greenhouse effect is an increase in the temperature of the lower layers of the planet's atmosphere due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases. Its mechanism is as follows: Sun rays penetrate the atmosphere, heat the surface of the planet.

The thermal radiation that comes from the surface should return to space, but the lower atmosphere is too dense for them to penetrate. The reason for this is greenhouse gases. Heat rays linger in the atmosphere, increasing its temperature.

History of greenhouse effect research

For the first time they started talking about the phenomenon in 1827. Then Jean Baptiste Joseph Fourier's article "A Note on the Temperatures of the Globe and Other Planets" appeared, where he detailed his ideas about the mechanism of the greenhouse effect and the reasons for its appearance on Earth. In his research, Fourier relied not only on his own experiments, but also on the judgments of M. De Saussure. The latter conducted experiments with a glass vessel blackened from the inside, closed and placed under sunlight. The temperature inside the vessel was much higher than outside. This is due to such a factor: thermal radiation cannot pass through darkened glass, which means it remains inside the container. At the same time, sunlight boldly penetrates through the walls, since the outside of the vessel remains transparent.

Multiple Formulas

The total energy of solar radiation absorbed per unit time by a planet with radius R and spherical albedo A is equal to:

E = πR2 ( E_0 over R2) (1 – A),

where E_0 is the solar constant and r is the distance to the Sun.

In accordance with the Stefan-Boltzmann law, the equilibrium thermal radiation L of a planet with radius R, that is, the area of ​​the radiating surface 4πR2:

L=4πR2 σTE^4,

where TE is the effective temperature of the planet.

Causes

The nature of the phenomenon is explained by the different transparency of the atmosphere for radiation from space and from the surface of the planet. The atmosphere of the planet is transparent to the sun's rays, like glass, and therefore they easily pass through it. And for thermal radiation, the lower layers of the atmosphere are "impenetrable", too dense to pass through. That is why part of the thermal radiation remains in the atmosphere, gradually descending to its lowest layers. At the same time, the amount of greenhouse gases condensing the atmosphere is growing.

Back in school, we were taught that the main cause of the greenhouse effect is human activity. Evolution has led us to industry, we burn tons of coal, oil and gas, we get fuel, the consequence of this is the release of greenhouse gases and substances into the atmosphere. Among them are water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide. Why they are so named is understandable. The surface of the planet is heated by the sun's rays, but it necessarily "gives" some of the heat back. Thermal radiation that comes from the Earth's surface is called infrared.

Greenhouse gases in the lower part of the atmosphere prevent heat rays from returning to space, delaying them. As a result, the average temperature of the planet is increasing, and this leads to dangerous consequences.

Is there really nothing that can regulate the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Of course it can. Oxygen does this job well. But here's the problem - the number of the planet's population is growing inexorably, which means that more and more oxygen is being absorbed. Our only salvation is vegetation, especially forests. They absorb excess carbon dioxide, emit much large quantity oxygen than people consume.

Greenhouse effect and Earth's climate

When we talk about the consequences of the greenhouse effect, we understand its impact on the Earth's climate. The first is global warming. Many equate the concepts of "greenhouse effect" and "global warming", but they are not equal, but interrelated: the first is the cause of the second.

Global warming is directly related to the oceans. Here is an example of two causal relationships.

  1. The average temperature of the planet rises, the liquid begins to evaporate. This also applies to the World Ocean: some scientists are afraid that in a couple of hundred years it will begin to “dry up”.
  2. At the same time, due to high temperatures, glaciers and sea ​​ice will begin to melt actively in the near future. This will lead to an inevitable rise in the level of the World Ocean.

We are already seeing regular floods in coastal areas, but if the level of the World Ocean rises significantly, all nearby areas of land will be flooded, crops will die.

Impact on people's lives

Do not forget that the increase average temperature The earth will also affect our lives. The consequences can be very serious. Many territories of our planet, already prone to drought, will become absolutely unviable, people will begin to migrate en masse to other regions. This will inevitably lead to socio-economic problems, to the beginning of the third and fourth world wars. Lack of food, destruction of crops - that's what awaits us in the next century.

But is it necessary to wait? Or is it still possible to change something? Can humanity reduce the harm from the greenhouse effect?

Actions that can save the Earth

To date, all the harmful factors that lead to the accumulation of greenhouse gases are known, and we know what needs to be done to stop this. Do not think that one person will not change anything. Of course, only all of humanity can achieve an effect, but who knows - maybe a hundred more people are reading a similar article at that moment?

Forest conservation

Stop deforestation. Plants are our salvation! In addition, it is necessary not only to preserve existing forests, but also to actively plant new ones.

Everyone should understand this problem.

Photosynthesis is so powerful that it can provide us with a huge amount of oxygen. It will be enough for the normal life of people and the elimination of harmful gases from the atmosphere.

Use of electric vehicles

Refusal to use cars on fuel. Each car highlights great amount greenhouse gases per year, so why not opt ​​for a healthier environment? Scientists are already offering us electric vehicles – environmentally friendly cars that do not use fuel. Minus the "fuel" car - another step towards the elimination of greenhouse gases. All over the world they are trying to accelerate this transition, but so far the current developments of such machines are far from perfect. Even in Japan where greatest use of such cars are not ready to completely switch to their use.

Alternative to hydrocarbon fuel

The invention of alternative energy. Humanity does not stand still, so why are we "stuck" on the use of coal, oil and gas? The burning of these natural components leads to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, so it's time to switch to an environmentally friendly form of energy.

We cannot completely abandon everything that emits harmful gases. But we can contribute to an increase in oxygen in the atmosphere. Not only a real man must plant a tree - every person must do this!

What is the most important thing in solving any problem? Don't close your eyes to her. We may not notice the harm from the greenhouse effect, but future generations will definitely notice. We can stop burning coal and oil, preserve the natural vegetation of the planet, abandon the conventional car in favor of an environmentally friendly one - and all for what? In order for our Earth to exist after us.

In recent decades, we have been hearing more and more about the problem of global warming and the greenhouse effect. Politicians, scientists, journalists are arguing about what kind of climate change awaits us in the near future, what it will lead to and how much man himself is involved in this. In this post, we will try to understand the causes and consequences of the greenhouse effect.

Why talk about the greenhouse effect?

In the 19th century, scientists began to conduct regular observations of the weather and climate around the planet. But in fact, using various methods, it is possible to establish how the temperature on the planet changed in the more distant past. And so, in the second half of the 20th century, scientists began to receive disturbing data - the global temperature on our planet began to rise. And the closer to the present, the stronger this growth.

Rising global temperature on the chart

Of course, the climatic conditions on our planet have changed in the past. There have been global warmings and global coolings, but the current global warming has a number of features. Firstly, the available data indicate that over the past 1-2 thousand years the climate on the planet has not undergone drastic changes, with the exception of short-term anomalies. And secondly, there are many reasons to believe that the current warming is not natural climate change, but changes caused by human activities.

There is a lot of controversy on this matter. Soon after the talk that man is causing global warming, a lot of skeptics appeared. They began to doubt that human activity could affect such global processes as the climate on the entire planet. However, there are good reasons to believe that it is man who is to blame for the ongoing global warming. How did humans cause global warming?

In the 19th century, the world entered the industrial age. The emergence of factories and transport required a lot of fuel. People began to extract millions of tons of coal, oil and gas and burn them in ever-increasing quantities. As a result, a huge amount of carbon dioxide and other gases causing the greenhouse effect began to enter the atmosphere.

And along with the increase in the content of these gases, the global temperature began to rise. But why does an increase in carbon dioxide concentration lead to warming? Let's try to figure it out.

What is the greenhouse effect?

People have long learned to grow vegetables in greenhouses, where you can harvest without waiting for the warm season. Why is it warm in a greenhouse in spring or even in winter? Of course, the greenhouse can be specially heated, but this is not the only thing. Through the glass or film that covers the greenhouse, the sun's rays penetrate freely, heating the earth inside. The heated earth also emits radiation, giving off heat along with this radiation, but this radiation is not visible, but infrared. But for infrared radiation, glass or film is opaque and delays it. Thus, it is more difficult to give heat to a greenhouse than to receive it, and as a result, the temperature inside the greenhouse is higher than in open areas.

A similar phenomenon is observed throughout our planet as a whole. The earth is covered with an atmosphere that easily passes solar radiation to the surface, however. infrared radiation back into space from the heated earth's surface misses worse. And how far the atmosphere traps infrared radiation depends on the content of greenhouse gases in it. The more greenhouse gases, and especially the main one - carbon dioxide, the more the atmosphere interferes with the cooling of the planet and the warmer the climate becomes.

What are the consequences of the greenhouse effect?

Of course, it's not the greenhouse effect itself, but how strong it is. There has always been a certain amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and if they disappeared from the atmosphere completely, we would not be in trouble. After all, with zero greenhouse effect, according to the calculations of scientists, the temperature on the planet would drop by 20-30 °C. The earth would freeze and be covered with glaciers almost to the equator. However, the increase in the greenhouse effect will not lead to anything good.

A change in global temperature of just a few degrees will lead (and, according to some observations, already leads) to serious consequences. What are the consequences?

1) Global melting of glaciers and rising sea levels. In the glaciers of Greenland and Antarctica, rather large reserves of ice are concentrated. If this ice melts as a result of global warming, global sea levels will rise. If all the ice melts, the sea level will rise by 65 meters. Is it a lot or a little? Actually quite a lot. A rise in sea level of 1 m is enough to drown Venice, 6 m - to drown St. Petersburg. With the melting of all glaciers, the Black Sea will merge with the Caspian Sea, a significant part of the Volga region will sink and Western Siberia. Territories where more than a billion people live today will disappear under water, and the United States and China will lose 2/3 of their modern industrial potential.

Map of flooding of Europe as a result of melting glaciers

2) The weather will get worse. There is a general pattern - the higher the temperature, the more energy is spent on the movement of air masses, and the more unpredictable the weather becomes. Winds will intensify, the number and scale of various natural Disasters, such as thunderstorms, tornadoes and typhoons, will become more severe temperature fluctuations.

3) Harm to the biosphere. Animals and plants are already suffering from human activities, but abrupt climatic changes can deal an even more powerful blow to the biosphere. Global climate change has already caused mass extinctions in the past, and changes caused by the greenhouse effect are unlikely to be an exception. It is difficult for living organisms to adapt to sudden changes in climate so that they can evolve and feel normal in new conditions, usually hundreds of thousands or even millions of years are required. But changes in the biosphere will certainly affect humanity itself. For example, in last years scientists are already raising the alarm about the mass extinction of bees, and main reason this extinction is just global warming. Determined that fever inside the hive in winter does not allow the bees to fall into a full hibernation. They quickly burn fat reserves and become very weak by spring. If warming continues, in many regions of the Earth, bees may disappear altogether, which will have the most disastrous consequences for agriculture.

Worst scenario

The consequences described above are already enough to get worried and start taking measures to stop global warming. However, the uncontrolled growth of the greenhouse effect can trigger a truly deadly scenario that will lead to the guaranteed destruction of all life on our planet. How can this happen?

In the past, on our planet, the content of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and global temperature varied within fairly wide limits. However, on long-term time intervals, the processes that led to an increase in the greenhouse effect and its weakening compensated each other. For example, if the CO₂ content in the atmosphere increased significantly, plants and other living organisms began to absorb and process it more actively. A long time ago, huge amounts of carbon dioxide captured by living organisms from the atmosphere turned into coal, oil, chalk. But these processes took millions of years. Today, a person, spending data Natural resources, returns carbon dioxide to the atmosphere much faster, and the biosphere does not have time to process it. Moreover, by virtue of his stupidity and greed, by polluting the world's oceans and cutting down forests, man destroys plants that absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. According to some scientists, this can lead to the development of an irreversible greenhouse effect.

Today, the increase in the greenhouse effect is influenced by the growth of carbon dioxide, but there are other gases that can make this greenhouse effect even stronger, much stronger. These gases include methane and water vapor. As for methane, some of it enters the atmosphere during mining natural gas contributes to animal husbandry. But the main danger is the huge reserves of methane, which today are at the bottom of the oceans in the form of hydrates. With an increase in temperature, the decomposition of hydrates can begin, a huge amount of methane will enter the atmosphere, and the greenhouse effect will increase dramatically. The growth of the greenhouse effect will become irreversible. The stronger the greenhouse effect, the more methane and water vapor will enter the atmosphere, and the more of them will enter the atmosphere, the stronger the greenhouse effect will become.

What all this can lead to in the end, shows the example of Venus. This planet is very close in size and mass to the Earth, and before flights to this planet spacecraft many hoped that the conditions on it would be close to those of the earth. However, everything turned out quite differently. On the surface of Venus, a terrible heat - 460 ° C. At this temperature, zinc, tin and lead melt. And the main reason for such extreme conditions on Venus is not that it is closer to the Sun, but the greenhouse effect. It is the greenhouse effect that raises the temperature on the surface of this planet by almost 500 degrees!

Venus and Earth

By modern ideas, several hundred million years ago, a "greenhouse explosion" occurred on Venus. At some point, the greenhouse effect became irreversible, all the water boiled and evaporated, and the surface temperature reached high values(1200-1500 ° C) that the stones melted! Gradually, the evaporated water broke up into oxygen and hydrogen and escaped into space, and Venus cooled down, but even today this planet is one of the most unfavorable places for life in solar system. The catastrophe that happened to Venus is not just a hypothesis of scientists, the fact that it really happened is confirmed by the young age of the surface of Venus, as well as the anomalously high ratio of deuterium to hydrogen in the Venusian atmosphere, which is hundreds of times higher than on Earth.

What is the result? It seems that humanity has no other choice but to deal with the greenhouse effect. And for this it is necessary to change the predatory attitude towards nature, stop burning fossil fuels uncontrollably and cut down forests.

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If we consider actual problems humanity, we can conclude that the most global of them is the greenhouse effect. It is already making itself felt and greatly changing environmental conditions, but its exact consequences are unknown, although it is clear that they may be irreparable.

To save humanity, you should find out the essence of the greenhouse effect and try to stop it.

What it is

The essence of the greenhouse effect is similar to the principle of operation of greenhouses, which is well known to all gardeners and gardeners. It lies in the fact that a certain greenhouse is formed above the planet, which, having transparency, freely passes the sun's rays through itself. They fall on the earth's surface, warm it up. Heat should normally pass through the atmosphere, and its lower layers over the past few decades have become so dense that they have lost their throughput. Thus, heat transfer is disturbed, which leads to the launch of the greenhouse effect mechanism.

The definition of the greenhouse effect is approximately as follows: an increase in temperature in the lower atmospheric layers compared to effective indicators characterizing the thermal radiation of the Earth, which is observed from space. In other words, it is much warmer on the surface of the planet than outside of its atmosphere. And since the layers are very dense, they do not allow heat to pass through, and it, under the influence of low cosmic temperatures, provokes the formation of condensate. A simplified diagram of the mechanism is shown below.

For the first time, Joseph Fourier took up the study of the greenhouse effect in the 19th century, who suggested that earth atmosphere changes greatly and in its properties begins to resemble glass in greenhouses, that is, it transmits the sun's rays, but prevents the reverse penetration of heat. Because of this, the so-called are synthesized, which consist of carbon, water vapor, ozone and methane.

The basis is steam, which provokes the formation of condensate. An equally important role in the greenhouse effect is played by carbon dioxide, the volume of which has recently increased to 20-26%. The shares of ozone and methane in the atmosphere are 3-7% each, but they also take part in the processes of the greenhouse effect.

The reasons

Planet Earth has already gone through the greenhouse effect and global warming, and, probably, without such phenomena, humanity and all living things would not be able to develop and live normally. Many centuries ago, the processes started due to the high activity of numerous volcanoes, the eruption products of which fell into the atmosphere. But as vegetation spread on the planet, the level of gases decreased, and the situation stabilized.

AT modern world The greenhouse effect is due to the following reasons:

  • Active and uncontrolled use of various minerals extracted from the bowels of the Earth, which have combustible properties. Mankind strives to use all the gifts of the planet, but does so extremely thoughtlessly and rudely: in the process of burning and burning in environment a huge amount of various decay products polluting the atmosphere, as well as carbon dioxide, are emitted daily.
  • Active deforestation throughout the Earth, which has recently become simply huge. Trees are felled mainly for fuel use, but land is sometimes cleared for construction. Either way, the reduction green plants changes the composition of the air. Leaves absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. And the less vegetation on the planet, the higher the concentration of substances that thicken the atmosphere and enhance the greenhouse effect.
  • A huge number of vehicles running on gasoline. During its operation, they are produced and immediately enter the air. They rush up, penetrate into the lower atmospheric layers and make them even denser, enhancing the greenhouse effect.
  • The development of the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere contributes to the rapid growth of the population. Each person, inhaling oxygen, exhales carbon dioxide, and, as you know, it is the main development of the greenhouse effect.
  • Forest fires, which are increasingly occurring due to weather changes and human negligence, are also exacerbating the greenhouse effect. A huge number of trees are burned every year, which means that incredible amounts of carbon dioxide are released into the air and atmosphere.
  • Numerous landfills that have filled the surface of the Earth, in the process of decay of waste, emit methane and other harmful substances, heavily polluting the lower atmospheric layers.
  • The rapid pace of industrial development. Various processing plants and other industrial companies emit a huge amount of exhaust and vapors that enter the atmosphere almost immediately and provoke a greenhouse effect.
  • The introduction of chemical and synthetic substances into all spheres of life. They are found in fertilizers, containers, clothing, food and other products. modern production. Some compounds do not decompose and emit vapors that rush into the atmosphere.

Possible consequences

It is not enough to know what the greenhouse effect is in order to understand how dangerous it is. And in order to assess the globality and seriousness of the problem, one should consider the consequences that threaten the planet and all living things. They may be as follows:

  1. Atmospheric pollution and compaction of its layers contribute to global warming. For a long time, scientists engaged in research climatic conditions, noticed an increase in average annual temperatures by several degrees. And such changes can upset the overall balance, lead to heat and drought in some southern regions.
  2. Due to the greenhouse effect and the warming caused by it, active is taking place. The water level in the oceans is growing rapidly, coastal areas may be completely flooded after a few decades. And if we take into account that cultivation is carried out in these territories different cultures, then huge damage will be done agriculture, and this, in turn, can provoke an acute shortage food.
  3. Due to rising water levels in the world's oceans, many coastal cities may be flooded, and in the future even entire countries. As a result, people will simply have nowhere to live. Moreover, a real threat is already looming over some regions.
  4. Under the influence of the high temperatures caused by the greenhouse effect, moisture evaporates much faster, and this has the most direct detrimental effect on the vegetation of the Earth. Reducing its volume will exacerbate problems and worsen the composition of the air. As a result, centuries later, a moment may come when there will be simply nothing to breathe on the planet.
  5. Heat is a threat to the health of many people, especially those suffering from cardiovascular and endocrine diseases. Not for nothing in summer period mortality is on the rise all over the world.
  6. Due to the greenhouse effect and the serious climatic changes caused by it, not only the flora of the planet, but also the fauna can suffer, that is animal world. Some of its representatives are already considered endangered, including due to.
  7. Humanity is already experiencing the power of natural anomalies: heavy rainfall, hurricanes, floods, tsunamis, tornadoes, earthquakes and other phenomena that threaten people's lives.

How to avoid serious consequences

The problem of the greenhouse effect on Earth is very relevant, so many scientists are actively developing and thinking through solutions.

  1. First, energy consumption should be completely reconsidered. It is desirable to abandon combustible natural fossils and solid fuel materials by switching to natural gas or alternative and still insufficiently developed natural springs such as sun, water, wind.
  2. Secondly, the greenhouse effect and its influence on the planet Earth will weaken if humanity pursues a policy of saving and saving energy. To do this, you can, for example, fully insulate houses and use construction and Decoration Materials holding heat. Also in production and industrial enterprises equipment should be installed that will reduce energy consumption.
  3. Thirdly, one of the ways to combat the greenhouse effect can be the refurbishment of transport system. It is not necessary to give up cars, but you can buy those that work without exhaust gases settling in the lower layers of the atmosphere, for example, on solar panels or electricity. The development of alternative sources is underway, but its results are not yet known.
  4. Fourthly, it is necessary to restore forests on Earth, stop their cutting down, and plant new trees. And if every inhabitant of the planet makes a contribution, then this will already significantly affect the overall situation. In addition, it is worth reconsidering the cultivation of various crops, namely, to abandon those that pollute the atmosphere and enhance the greenhouse effect. chemical fertilizers and spraying with poisons.
  5. Fifth, we need to optimize the waste recycling system so as not to pollute the atmosphere and the planet. Industrial plants should have treatment facilities minimizing emissions. The waste itself must be fully disposed of or recycled and used as secondary raw materials. In addition, in order to reduce the number of landfills, completely degradable and harmless materials should be used in production.

Now the essence of the greenhouse effect and its influence on the atmosphere is clear to you, and you know why the planet is in danger. It is very difficult to eliminate such a phenomenon, but if all of humanity reconsiders its attitude towards the Earth and begins to act, then serious consequences can be avoided.

The greenhouse effect is an increase in the temperature of the earth's surface due to the heating of the lower atmosphere by the accumulation of greenhouse gases. As a result, the air temperature is higher than it should be, and this leads to such irreversible consequences as climate change and global warming. Several centuries ago this ecological problem existed, but was not so obvious. With the development of technology, the number of sources that provide the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere is increasing every year.

Causes of the greenhouse effect

    the use of combustible minerals in industry - coal, oil, natural gas, the combustion of which releases a huge amount of carbon dioxide and other harmful compounds into the atmosphere;

    transport - cars and trucks emit exhaust gases, which also pollute the air and increase the greenhouse effect;

    deforestation, which absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen, and with the destruction of every tree on the planet, the amount of CO2 in the air increases;

    forest fires are another source of destruction of plants on the planet;

    an increase in the population affects the increase in the demand for food, clothing, housing, and to ensure this, it is growing industrial production, which is increasingly polluting the air with greenhouse gases;

    agrochemicals and fertilizers contain varying amounts of compounds that release nitrogen, one of the greenhouse gases, as a result of evaporation;

    the decomposition and burning of garbage in landfills contribute to the increase in greenhouse gases.

The impact of the greenhouse effect on climate

Considering the results of the greenhouse effect, it can be determined that the main one is climate change. Since the air temperature rises every year, the waters of the seas and oceans evaporate more intensively. Some scientists predict that in 200 years such a phenomenon as the "drying" of the oceans, namely a significant decrease in water levels, will become noticeable. This is one side of the problem. The other is that the increase in temperature leads to the melting of glaciers, which contributes to the rise in the water level of the World Ocean, and leads to the flooding of the coasts of continents and islands. The increase in the number of floods and flooding of coastal areas indicates that the level of ocean waters is increasing every year.

An increase in air temperature leads to the fact that areas that are little moistened by precipitation become arid and unsuitable for life. Here, crops are dying, which leads to a food crisis for the population of the area. Also, there is no food for animals, because plants die out due to lack of water.

First of all, we need to stop deforestation, plant new trees and shrubs, as they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Using electric vehicles will reduce the amount of exhaust gases. In addition, you can change from cars to bicycles, which is more convenient, cheaper and safer for the environment. Alternative fuels are also being developed, which, unfortunately, is slowly being introduced into our daily lives.

19. Ozone layer: value, composition, possible causes of its destruction, protection measures taken.

Earth's ozone layer Ozone is a region of the Earth's atmosphere where ozone is produced, a gas that protects our planet from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

Destruction and depletion of the Earth's ozone layer.

The ozone layer, despite its great importance for all living things, is a very fragile barrier to ultraviolet rays. Its integrity depends on a number of conditions, but nature nevertheless came to a balance in this matter, and for many millions of years the Earth's ozone layer successfully coped with the mission assigned to it. The processes of formation and destruction of the ozone layer were strictly balanced until man appeared on the planet and in his development did not reach the current technical level.

In the 70s. of the twentieth century, it was proved that many substances actively used by man in economic activities can significantly reduce the level of ozone in Earth's atmosphere.

Substances that deplete the Earth's ozone layer include fluorochlorocarbons - freons (gases used in aerosols and refrigerators, consisting of chlorine, fluorine and carbon atoms), combustion products during high-altitude aviation flights and rocket launches, i.e. substances whose molecules contain chlorine or bromine.

These substances, released into the atmosphere near the Earth's surface, reach the upper limit in 10–20 years. the boundaries of the ozone layer. There, under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, they decompose, forming chlorine and bromine, which, in turn, interacting with stratospheric ozone, significantly reduce its amount.

Causes of destruction and depletion of the ozone layer of the Earth.

Let us consider once again in more detail the causes of the destruction of the Earth's ozone layer. At the same time, we will not consider the natural decay of ozone molecules. We will focus on human economic activity.

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