5.2.6

Greenhouse Gases

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Greenhouse Gases

All of these gases contribute to the greenhouse effect by re-radiating most of the heat energy which has been reflected off the Earth’s surface back towards Earth. Human activity releases huge amounts of greenhouse gases in the form of air pollution.

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Water vapour

  • Water vapour is produced when water evaporates.
  • Under climate change, rising temperatures cause more water to evaporate, creating a positive feedback loop where water vapour intensifies global warming, causing even more water to evaporate.
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Carbon dioxide

  • Released from burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas).
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Methane

  • Released from the burning of fossil fuels, and from agriculture practices like rice paddies and cattle farming.
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Nitrous oxide

  • Also known as 'laughing gas', used as an anaesthetic.
  • Released from fertilisers in agriculture.
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CFCs

  • Releases from aerosols, refrigerators and air conditioners.

Jump to other topics

1The Nature & Variety of Living Organisms

2Structure & Functions in Living Organisms

3Organism Functions

3.1Respiration

3.2Gas Exchange

3.3Transport

3.4Excretion

3.5Coordination & Response

4Reproduction & Inheritance

5Ecology

6Biological Resources

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