...Earth's atmosphere is a unique reservoir of gases, the product of nearly 5 billion years of development. It sustains us and protects us from hostile radiation and particles from the Sun and beyond-the atmosphere serves as an efficient filter.When astronauts work in space, they must wear a bulky spacesuit that does everything to sustain and protect them that the atmosphere does for us all the time.Atmosphere is a gaseous mixture of ancient origin, the sum of all the exhalations and inhalations of life on Earth throughout time. The principal substance of this atmosphere is air, the medium of life as well as a major industrial and chemical raw material. Air is a simple mixture of gases that is naturally odorless, colorless, tasteless, and formless, blended so thoroughly that it behaves as if it were a single gas ATMOSPHERIC PROFILE: We consider the top of our atmosphere to be around 480 km (300 mi) above Earth's surface, the same altitude we use for measuring the solar constant and insolation receipt. Beyond that altitude, the atmosphere is rarefied (nearly a vacuum) and is called the exosphere, which means "outer sphere." It contains scarce lightweight hydrogen and helium atoms, weakly bound by gravity as far as 32,000 km (20,000 mi) from Earth.Earth's modern atmosphere is in a series of imperfectly shaped concentric "shells" or "spheres" that grade into one another, all bound to the planet by gravity.As critical as the atmosphere is to us, it represents only...
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...and Water Pollution Dimetrious Jones ENV/100 October 24, 2012 Katherine Fiegel Air and Water Pollution The two major elements that are essential to the survival of any living organism are clean water and air. Pollution is a major threat to these elements which in turn has made water and air pollution serious problems that are endangering the lives of people worldwide. Pollution is caused by contaminants being introduced into an environment which have very harmful effects on the environment as a whole. Most of the pollution that ends up in the environment is a result of human actions, but there are some instances were pollution is caused by natural disasters. Pollution can have a very devastating effect on virtually every living organism within any environment that has become contaminated with pollutants. Primary and Secondary Air Pollutants Most forms of air pollutants fall into two major categories which are primary and secondary. Primary air pollutants are those that are emitted directly form a source, this could be the smoke from the exhaust pipe of a car or the gases emitted from the burning of coal (www.greenfacts.org). Secondary air pollutants are those that are not emitted directly but are formed by the interaction of primary pollutants with the atmosphere (www.greenfacts.org). Sulphur dioxide (S02) is a primary air pollutant that occurs most often when coal is burned in thermal energy plants. Sulphur dioxide is one form of air pollution among others...
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...is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises). It happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This hurts many people, animals, and plants. Many cannot take the change, so they die. What is the greenhouse effect? The greenhouse effect is when the temperature rises because the sun’s heat and light is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a very hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows, but it can’t get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth. The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out. As a result, the temperature rises. The sun’s heat can get into the car through the windows but is then trapped. This makes what ever the place might be, a greenhouse, a car, a building, or the earth’s atmosphere, hotter. This diagram shows the heat coming into a car as visible light (light you can see) and infrared light (heat). Once the light is inside the car, it is trapped and the heat builds up, just like it does in the earth’s atmosphere. Sometimes the temperature can change in a way that helps us. The greenhouse effect makes the earth appropriate for people to live on. Without it, the earth would be freezing, or...
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...temperature rises). It happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This hurts many people, animals, and plants. Many cannot take the change, so they die. What is the greenhouse effect? The greenhouse effect is when the temperature rises because the sun’s heat and light is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. This is like when heat is trapped in a car. On a very hot day, the car gets hotter when it is out in the parking lot. This is because the heat and light from the sun can get into the car, by going through the windows, but it can’t get back out. This is what the greenhouse effect does to the earth. The heat and light can get through the atmosphere, but it can’t get out. As a result, the temperature rises. Water Pollution Water pollution is the introduction of chemical, biological and physical matter into large bodies of water that degrade the quality of life that lives in it and consumes it. Air Pollution Air pollution is the accumulation of hazardous substances into the atmosphere that danger human life and other living matter. Land Pollution Land pollution is pollution of the Earth’s natural land surface by industrial, commercial, domestic and agricultural activities. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change The Rs are categories at the top of our disposal options...
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...source for living. Air pollution includes all contaminants found in the atmosphere. It is another major problem that is yet to be solved. These dangerous substances can be either in the form of gases or particles. The air is 99.9% nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, and inert gases. Air pollution is a common term meaning the dirtying and gradual destruction of our natural resources, especially our air, water and land. This is referred to as environmental pollution. Once, years ago, the air was fresh and clear and the rivers were clean with fish swimming in the crystal clear waters and streams. This is no longer true today. Air pollution is the dirtying of the air. Where once we had blue skies and fresh air to breathe in, this is no longer the case. The air today is choked with toxic fumes from cars and factories. With more and more cars on the road, the carbon monoxide emitted from the car exhausts has polluted the Earth’s atmosphere. The clearing of land to make way for housing or farms has also lead to forests being destroyed and burnt. But did you know that air pollution also found both outdoors and indoors? It can, Pollutants can be trapped inside buildings, causing indoor pollution that lasts for a long time. The effects of air pollution are diverse and numerous. Air pollution can have serious consequences for the health of human beings, and also severely affects natural ecosystems. Because it is located in the atmosphere, air pollution is able to travel easily...
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...Axia College, University of Phoenix [COM 220- 08 March 2009] Have you ever watched a television program, or read an article about Global warming? A person would be hard pressed to find someone who hasn’t. The news is hard to ignore since the information that is given to us comes from scientists or experts in the field of global warming. We are continually bombarded with information that the Earth is experiencing a warming trend, and human activity is to blame. The pollution that man creates is adding to the earth’s greenhouse gases. The resulting affect of global warming is triggering warmer temperatures around the world, and ecosystems are taking the toll. One of the most publicized looming catastrophes is the plight of the polar bears. Once the glaciers are gone, the polar bear will be extinct in the wild. Although, scientists say it is caused by the pollution that humans are creating, global warming is a natural phenomenon. Snow capped mountains are a wondrous sight to behold, and can be found on every continent. But, these massive ice shelf’s have a purpose that many people take for granted. Many people do not realize that glaciers are responsible for part of the world’s water supply. Revkin (2003) states “The melting is likely to threaten water supplies in places like Peru and Nepal” (¶ 19). The result from the melting glaciers will raise water levels and potentially create devastating floods over time. The eventual outcome that these countries...
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...Introduction Environmental pollution is a multi-disciplinary science involving chemistry, physics, life science, agriculture, medical science, public health, sanitary engineering etc. In broader sense, it is the study of the sources, reactions, transport, effect and fate of chemical species in the air, water and soil and the effect of human activity upon these. Pollutant: A substance present in nature, in greater than natural abundance due to human activity, which ultimately has a detrimental effect on the environment and therefrom on living organisms and mankind. Examples are- lead, mercury, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc. Contaminant: A material which does not occur in nature, but is introduced by human activity into the environment, affecting its composition. A contaminant is classified as a pollutant when it exerts a detrimental effect. Example- chlorine gas Types of Pollution Air Causes of air pollution: * motor vehicle exhaust * power stations * car manufacturing * fertilizer factories * demolishing buildings * solvent evaporation * volcanic eruption * building roads * forest fires Effect of air pollution: Global warming, acid rain, smog, ozone depletion are some effects of air pollution Water Causes of water pollution: * man-made chemicals used in farming * heavy metals * waste from factories * sediment from the river bed * air pollution * thermal (heat) pollution * soil pollution from rubbish dumps ...
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... Global Warming 1 Are Humans Causing Global Warming? The recent warming of our planet has several apparent causes. In its 2001 report, the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change stated, there is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributed to human activities (http://www.ucsusa.org/global). Green House Gases Green house gases act as a blanket locking in heat emissions affecting the earth’s climate. Human acts such as; burning fossil fuels and energy for deforestation is large contributors to an increase in green house gases. Humans are pouring carbon dioxide (CO2) in to the atmosphere much faster than plants and oceans can absorb it. This has been going on for years and because of the build up of emissions, it is impossible to prevent global warming. Deforestation Deforestation causes extinction in certain species. Humans are a species and we depend on other species for our survival. Land use directly leads to species extinction (Turk, J & Bensel T 2011 chapter 4). Humans should reserve biomes and aquatic zones because life is dependent upon it. An interruption to these zones causes a depleting effect creating irreversible lose of important organisms. Extinction...
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...Air and Pollution Paper Albertis McCray ENV/100 November 11, 2013 Mrs. Jennifer Lake Air and Pollution Air and water pollution play a large role in our environment. The two types of air pollution that will be discussed in this paper are carbon dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Both of these air pollutions have a daily effect on our environment. Air pollutants are either primary and/or secondary. Primary air pollutants produce a specific type of process, for example, sulfur dioxide released from industrial factories or ash from a volcano explosion. Secondary pollutants are not directly emitted, when primary pollutants react or interact, they form in the air. The First Air Pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the many prominent pollutants. High temperature combustion creates Nitrogen dioxide, which are produced naturally during thunderstorms. The Second Air Pollutant Carbon Dioxide The second air pollutant is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is considered a primary pollutant due to its presence in the atmosphere but it does become toxic when increase releases cause it to rise about its natural concentrations. The increase levels of carbon dioxide is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect. The sources of primary pollutants are called mobile sources these include trucks and cars. Other sources of pollutants are known as stationary or industry which includes industrial sites or power plants, etc. The most prevelant...
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...Pollution Pollution Table of Contents Introduction 1 Causes and effects 1 Impact of the issue on the world 3 Impact of the issue in the U.A.E 4 Comparison of the issue U.A.E. V.S China 4 Conclusion 5 References 5 Introduction Pollution is the contaminates of the natural environment. There are many types of pollution such as air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, land pollution. It’s an important issue because its more safer and healthier to live in clean environment. Causes and effects Causes and effects of Air Pollution: * Industries * Vehicles and Domestic fuels * High proportion of gases such as: A. Carbon monoxide: produced when carbon do not burn to fossil fuels. Takes away oxygen from the body which leads to headaches, fatigue, and impaired vision. B. Sulfur dioxide: produced when coal and fuel oil are burned. Causes respiratory symptoms and disease, difficulty in breathing which can lead to asthma. C. Nitrogen dioxide: produced when nitric oxide combines with oxygen in the atmosphere. Affects lungs and increases the chance of respiratory infection. D. Ground level ozone: Ozone protects Earth from sun’s harmful UV rays at upper level. While at ground level ozone is harmful toxins formed from car, power, and chemical plant use. In China around 656,000 people die each year because of air pollution. In India, around 527,700 people suffer from air pollution a year. Water Pollution: it can be: ...
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...also known as global warming, strengthens the melting of the polar ice caps, and reduces air quality. Air pollution, just like global warming. Global warming is the change of the earth’s climate and melting of the polar ice caps. Air pollution is a threat to human’s health and the ecosystem as a whole. Deforestation, results in climate changing and decreasing in condition. It’s the eradication of the earth’s forests and trees on a massive scale; killing thousands of species with them. Global warming, deforestation, and air pollution are all large-scale problems that if aren’t fixed, or even acknowledged, will become colossal complications in the...
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...Analyses have shown that since 1800, the average temperature has increased by 0.7*C. The effect of retaining heat in the Earth's atmosphere is called the greenhouse effect and the gases that have the most significant effect of this place called greenhouse effect gases. Simply put, the gases created almost a kind of foil around the earth's atmosphere and thus produce warming of Earth's atmosphere, known as global warming. Global warming refers to the long-term changes in temperature, wind, precipitation, humidity, and other changes in the elements of the Earth's climate (Roebuck, 2003). Natural processes such as solar energy (heat her part), volcanic activity and variations in the Earth's orbit around the sun may be the causes of such fluctuations in the climate balance. However, the changes in climate parameters can affect the change in concentration of certain gases in the atmosphere and to modify the absorption of cosmic radiation reaching the Earth, and consequently leads to an increased warming of the atmosphere, the earth's crust and the global temperature increase must. The permanence of the conditions on Earth is crucial for the survival of human and other species and is achieved by, among other things, the stability of average temperature on Earth (Naomi, 2004). To global warming is due to emissions of so-called greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2). This gas, otherwise, there is naturally in the air, thanks to its natural concentration long...
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...make profits have grown astronomically from the 60s’ until now. Earth’s resources are now being used as cheaper way to supply the population with certain needs that may be taking away from the natures Forrest and water supply. These resources are not being replaced with other natural resources in fact businessman and corporations with the greed for profits create pollutants which are dumped into the earths rivers and atmosphere. The cutting down of trees from the earth’s forrest are leaving animals without homes and removes natures own oxygen for our own selfish pleasures.Fresh water resources like certain streams and rivers are now being polluted with our human waste. The pollution of none natural resources are covering certain beaches of the earth today. The creation of these non natural resources leave smog in the earth’s atmosphere today. 2. Explain the primary concern over exponential population growth. What promotes exponential population growth? What constrains exponential population growth? The primary concern of exponential growth,would be that as years continue on the earth so does the human population increasing accumulation. With this increase of the population so does the demand for food and supplies of technology in which we depend. As the demand greatens for the technology that humans used in today’s society so does the interruption of natures atmosphere and pollution of the earth’s surface as well. Certain things that are being used in today’s society...
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...Telescopes in Astronomy Cary Lingle PHY 107 June 25, 2013 Professor Worek Telescopes in Astronomy Peering out beyond the confines of the Earth was a daydream for early scientists. Staring into the heavens from the Earth limited the scientific community’s ability to study the cosmic bodies above the Earth’s surface. As curiosity grew to explore the Sun, moon, stars and far-reaching corners of the universe, creativity was sparked leading to the development of tools like a telescope to assist scientists with examining outer space and its contents. The development of the telescope began in the hands of a Dutch lens maker, Hans Lippershey. Lippershey developed a device consisting of a tube and a lens allowing the user to view objects up close. Galileo Galilei expanded upon Lippershey’s design creating the modern day telescope using a concave lens. Galileo used his telescope view the items in the night sky including the Milky Way. Galileo revealed that the Earth was not at the center of the universe that was a contrasting view from previous scholars. The development of the telescope has lead to significant discoveries including the moon's effect on weather patterns on Earth and in space black holes, stars' lifecycles and galaxies beyond the Milky Way to name a few. The ability to study the Sun has given scholars the ability to determine the age of the Sun, planets and stars in the night sky. The first telescope's original design, consisting of a tube and lens, gave the viewer...
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...Greenhouse gases are the gases that results in the warming up of the earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse gases tends to form a heat impermeable layer in the earth’s atmosphere meaning that heat from the sun reaches the earth’s surface but cannot escape back to the upper atmosphere leading to significant accumulation of heat on the earth’s surface. Over long periods of time, heat accumulation on the earth’s surface leads to a tremendous change in the climatic conditions of a given area. The rate of climatic change of Hong Kong can be reduced by reducing air pollution from burning hydrocarbon fuels. Other activities which result to the production of the greenhouse gases such as the power generation should be made more efficient to minimize the rate of pollution gas emission to the atmosphere. This will significantly reduce the rate of global warming and consequently the climatic...
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