Understanding global warming – The greenhouse effect (complex)
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Interactive graphic:
Life on Earth would not exist without the natural greenhouse effect. However, the greenhouse gases produced by humans, such as carbon dioxide and methane, adversely intensify the greenhouse effect.
English, Spanish (CREA), German
2022-12-05
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The students should recognize that life on Earth as we know it would not be possible without the greenhouse effect. Three scenarios are presented on this topic: Earth without the greenhouse effect, the natural greenhouse effect, and the anthropogenically intensified greenhouse effect. The graphic shows what impact the complete lack of a greenhouse effect would have on Earth, how the natural greenhouse effect works, and what produces an additional – undesirable – anthropogenically intensified greenhouse effect. In the case of the anthropogenically intensified greenhouse effect, an animation shows what factors increase greenhouse gases and how this increase impacts the average temperature on Earth’s surface due to intensified atmospheric counter-radiation.
Information and ideas:
An albedo (the capacity of diffusely reflecting surfaces such as ice and snow to radiate back) of approx. 0.30 was assumed for the direct reflection of incident radiation with and without the atmosphere, since Earth is not an ideal black body.
The anthropogenically intensified greenhouse effect and changes in solar activity are the main causes of climate change! There is scientific consensus that both effects influence Earth’s climate. The percentage that the two effects have on change in Earth’s climate is not yet definitively clarified. This topic involves complex physics. In particular, the topic of radiation equilibrium proves difficult: Why does Earth’s temperature increase even though nearly 100% of the energy is radiated back?
Information and ideas:
An albedo (the capacity of diffusely reflecting surfaces such as ice and snow to radiate back) of approx. 0.30 was assumed for the direct reflection of incident radiation with and without the atmosphere, since Earth is not an ideal black body.
The anthropogenically intensified greenhouse effect and changes in solar activity are the main causes of climate change! There is scientific consensus that both effects influence Earth’s climate. The percentage that the two effects have on change in Earth’s climate is not yet definitively clarified. This topic involves complex physics. In particular, the topic of radiation equilibrium proves difficult: Why does Earth’s temperature increase even though nearly 100% of the energy is radiated back?
Interactive graphic
Biology; Chemistry; Geography; Physics
Grade 7 to 9; Grade 10 to 13
Middle/high school
Climate change; Ecology; Emission (environment); Environment (general); Environmental protection; Greenhouse effect; Pollution of the environment; Renewable energy; Solar energy; Climate change; Ecology (environmental protection); Emission pollution; H5P
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