Week 14 Blog

 1. In lab this week we learned about about the Greenhouse Effect. We spent the majority of our time talking about infrared radiation. This radiation is either absorbed by Earth's atmosphere and bounces off Greenhouse gas molecules, or it is reflected by Earth's atmosphere. Also, we learned how the atmosphere acts as a blanket which traps Greenhouse gasses. This has a major contributed to climate change and temperatures rising. The PHET simulation showed just how often infrared photons are absorbed into molecules in Earth's atmosphere. This was very interesting because they are not absorbed as often as I would have thought. The most shocking thing was learned is how fast CO2 levels have been rising since the industrial revolution. A pattern within this rising pattern is how levels change seasonally. In the winter the levels rise much more because there are less plants to absorb the CO2, people are using cars to travel more, and people are in confined spaces. 

PHET observations:

2. The Pressbook this week began with the immediate attention that climate change needs. The climate is changing more rapid than ever and science shows it is due to human influence. We are having the most extreme and warm temperatures, and eventually there will be a point of no return. Not only does climate change include global warming, but it also includes extreme droughts, storms, wildfires, and flooding. Most of what I have learned about melting sea ice is its contribution to global warming, however, through this weeks reading and lecture I learned how it will impact the Albedo Effect. Without the ice at the poles, our oceans will never be cooled. There also will be less ice for reflection, which will cause more heat to be absorbed. This severely disrupts our ecosystem and all things within it. 

3. In lecture we continued to learn more about the impact of CO2 on Earth's atmosphere. Something new I learned about are the Sources of Natural Variability. This has to do with solar and volcanic forces being the two most dominant natural contributors to global climate change during the Industrial Era. However, these two forces do not cause significant changes, leaving humans to be the main cause for climate change. Next, we learned about the albedo effect using the oceans heating and cooling system with the equator and poles. This is when there is a positive feedback loop, a cycle without end, similar to convection. However, if the poles are taken out of the equation then there becomes a negative feedback loop because there is no cooling. A high albedo = more reflective; low albedo = less reflective (absorbs sunlight)