What Causes Global Warming?
Most scientists believe that the main cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect. Let me explain what this is, the sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere which primarily heats up the Earth. This heat is then radiated back through the atmosphere into space. Although, there are certain gases in the atmosphere that block 90% of the heat trying to escape to space. It’s called the greenhouse effect because the gases in the atmosphere don’t allow the heat to escape, this is exactly like a greenhouse. Some gases that contribute are, Carbon Dioxide(C02), Methane(CH4), Water vapor(H2O) and Nitrous Oxide(N2O). Carbon Dioxide is released through respiration, volcano eruptions and deforestation and it is also the most common gas. The Atmospheric concentration of CO2 has increased by a third since the industrial revolution. Methane is the second most common greenhouse gas, but it is a lot more destructive and active than CO2.
It is produced through natural sources and human activity such as the decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture and rice cultivation. Water Vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas and it acts as a feedback to the climate. It increases as the Earth's temperature rises, but then it increases the possibility of clouds and precipitation. Nitrous Oxide is a powerful gas that is produced by soil cultivation, especially when organic fertilizers are used. These are the primary gases that cause the greenhouse effect, but humans also lay a big role in this major problem. Humans mainly contribute to this problem by burning fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide.