Global Warming

In simple words, global warming is the rise in the atmospheric temperature of the Earth. This is also related to the enhanced greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is very simple. Firstly, ultraviolet radiation from the Sun will enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The Earth will then absorb and radiate solar radiation. Theoretically, the solar radiation is supposed to go out of the atmosphere. But due to the greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere, they will absorb and re-radiate it back to the surface to the Earth. As a result, the temperature of Earth has increased.

Global warming has existed for many years. However, due to an increase in human activity, global warming has become worse. Some of the major human/natural causes of  global warming are listed below:

• ·Combustion/Burning of fossil fuels
• ·Production of ammonia (Haber Process)
• ·Formation of Nitrogen Dioxide in the atmosphere
• ·Chlorofluorocarbons in air conditioners
• ·Increase in ozone gas (O3)

Due to global warming, there have been many effects and some of them are often linked to one another.

• Rise of sea level – The increase in temperature leads to the melting of ice caps on the North and South Pole.
• Loss of Habitation - Knowing that the ice caps have melted, life on the North and South Pole will soon deplete. Imagine a family of polar bears trying to survive without any home.
• Acid Rain - Burning of fossil fuels will release a lot of carbon dioxide. That carbon dioxide can react with
  
  rainwater to form acid rain.
• Health Issues - In terms of air pollution, some of the pollutants present in the atmosphere can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Not only that, by inhaling the air particles (pollutants) for a long period of time, it can lead to heavy brain damage.
• Climate Change - Although the temperature increases, it doesn’t necessarily mean every location on Earth will have summer. For instance, certain places like UK might be facing colder conditions.
• Change in Food Chains - Once an (animal) population dies due to the global warming effects, it will surely affect the other animals connected in the food chain. For example, birds eat fish. If the population of fish suddenly dropped due to acid rain, the number of birds will also decrease because there isn’t enough food.

Nowadays, we are developing new technologies to try and reduce this problem. We have catalytic converters installed in every vehicle. They are able to convert very harmful pollutants to less harmful pollutants. We have solar panels which can absorb the Sun’s energy. That absorbed energy can then be used to power up the lighting in a building/house. We have electrically-powered cars which only uses electrical energy instead of petrol. This is very eco-friendly since it doesn’t even release carbon dioxide. Finally, new air-conditioning systems are heavily modified so that they are configured not to release CFC’s.