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Global Warming Is The Global Average Temperature Increase

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Global warming is the global average temperature increase that was observed over many centuries. Scientist have determined that global warming is a result of the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect occurs when greenhouse gases are present in the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapors, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons. Most of these gases come from natural sources like evaporation, respiration, volcanic eruptions, and decomposition. Some gases like chlorofluorocarbons are manufactured and have been widely used as refrigerants, propellants (aerosol), and solvents. These gases absorb the sun’s light energy and then reradiate this energy. These gases absorb radiation in a unique way. A CO2 molecule absorbs an incoming infrared photon emitted from the sun. The energy from the photon causes the CO2 molecule to vibrate. Then the molecule gives up this extra energy by emitting another infrared photon. Once the extra energy has been removed by the emitted photon, the carbon dioxide stops vibrating.
The more of these gases present, the more they reradiate the sun’s energy. Because the sun’s energy is reradiated the energy is spread in all directions. This causes the surface temperature to stay in a constant range of temperature. This is the reason the temperature fluctuations are not as drastic as a planet with no and little atmosphere. The greenhouse effect only absorbs about fifty percent of the suns light energy. The rest is

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