About Greenhouse Gas
Several different types of greenhouse gas are currently implicated in the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is increased by continuing emissions of these harmful gases.
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Greenhouse Gases
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Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorocarbons are all greenhouse gases. These gases trap heat inside the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to a 0.5 degree increase in the Earth's temperature over the past century.
Greenhouse Effect
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Greenhouse gases cause the Earth's temperature to rise at alarming rates by trapping infrared radiation from the Earth's surface and emitting some of it back down toward the Earth. This is called the greenhouse effect because of an analogy to the effect produced by glass panes in a greenhouse.
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Nitrous Oxide
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The Earth Encyclopedia estimates that Nitrous Oxide (NO2) concentration in the atmosphere has increased by fifteen percent since the Industrial Revolution. This powerful greenhouse gas occurs naturally, but its increased concentration can be attributed to the mass production of fertilizers.
Carbon Dioxide
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Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a naturally occurring gas. Plants and trees absorb carbon dioxide, but fail to keep pace with society's rate of industrialization. The burning of fossil fuels, industrial processes and chemical manufacturing all lead to an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Fluorinated Gases
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Hydroflourocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride and perfluorocarbons are greenhouse gases used as substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). These synthetic fluorinated gases have a high global warming potential, but are emitted in smaller quantities.
Methane
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The production and transport of coal, oil and natural gas cause an increase in methane (CH4) emissions. Methane gas is also a result of livestock and agricultural waste.
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- Photo Credit Image Courtesy of the University of Michigan
