AuldSoul, to answer the question you posed, first understand that Earth's climate is regulated in large part by removal of Carbon from the atmosphere, and holding it in isolation where it cannot interact with the atmosphere. Carbon is stored in large amounts in forests, where it forms part of the cellulose structure of vegetation. Carbon (Dioxide) is also stored as a dissolved gas in seawater. Some, but not all of the carbon in the sea is used by marine organisms, and ends up forming limestone and dolomite when those creatures die. Think about what happens when you open a can or bottle of soda or beer...it bubbles, right? Those bubbles are CO2 gas escaping as pressure is released. The ocean has huge amounts of CO2 stored as a dissolved gas in the cooler waters at the poles, and especially at depth. You may have also noticed that an opened bottle of soda still tastes fizzy as long as it is cold, but if it warms up, it goes "flat"? This is because cold soda is capable of holding much more CO2 gas in solution than the same volume of warm soda. As the temperature rises, the CO2 gas dissolved comes out of solution and escapes into the atmosphere. Most of the CO2 in the ocean is in deep water, where the high pressure and cold temperature keep the gas in solution. The depth below which the bulk of CO2 gas is stored is called the Carbon Compensation Depth. Now, imagine that the average ocean temperature rises by just one degree. This means that some of the CO2 which is stored in solution in trillions of tons of cold, deep ocean water will be released into the atmosphere, where it joins with the greenhouse gases already there to help trap more heat. Changing the temperature of the atmosphere is much easier than changing the temperature of the ocean, and all evidence shows that the atmospheric temperature has been slowly rising. So, the answer to your question is that once human activity releases enough CO2 into the atmosphere to cause an increase in the oceans temperature, the expected result could be for even more CO2 to be released from the warmer ocean. In a worse case scenario, the ocean could release enough CO2 to create a climatic spiral, more greenhouse gases causing higher temperatures, resulting in more CO2 released from the ocean, eventually making Earth somewhat like Venus, with a thick, dense atmosphere trapping almost all the heat from the Sun, instead of reflecting significant amounts back into space. Venus elevated surface temperature of 800 degrees or so is almost all due to its atmosphere, and not so much to its position nearer the Sun. For more information and detail, I recommend the writings of James Lovelock, an atmospheric scientist who has worked for NASA, and has several books on the topic of global warming, starting as far back as 1979.
Gore is no expert....
by Bryan 47 Replies latest jw friends
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dawg
Giagal and auldsoul... CO2 is the byproduct of gasoline combustion engines... auldsoul, have you ever taken a chemestry class? This is basic Organic Chemestry which I haven't studdied in 8 years so excuse me if I'm rusty, but by burning Gasoline, human behavior has increased the levels of CO2 that is normally found in the atmosphere. If you want me to drag my old Organic chemestry book out and give you the molecular formula I will but I'd rather you take my word for it. I have a friend that is working in this field at UGA, she knows a damn sight more than I do about it-maybe I can get her in this duscussion this weekend, but it's really this simple... we drive combustion engines that use a carbon based fuel, the by-product of which when combined with oxygen is CO2; throughout our increased use of this engine human behavior has casued an unnatural increase in CO2. How's that?
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sammielee24
Whats most interesting is that emissions and global warming have been an issue for years. Governments and corporations could have done something to turn the tide 25 years ago and they chose not to. Why - greed. Corporations are not people and therefore incapable of compassion . The same corporations that have brought in the throw away years in the western world, will move their product and manufacturing to third world countries and subsequently destroy the fabric there. A lot of the politicians and celebrities pushing this, live in mansions on bluffs over the ocean and in a living space 500 times what they need. They fly around the world more than the average person does in a lifetime and often have a fleet of cars. Many have yachts. How much of their lives is spent living 'green' vs actually promoting 'green' and earning a living doing it? In 20 years everyone will drive hydrogen cars here but over in Africa the oil companies will do a booming business and the pollution will rise. It's all about the money. sammieswife.
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dawg
Right, it's about the money... so they get their propaganda machines up and running and make people like Auldsoul think that combustion engines that use a carbon based fuel combined with oxygen isn't the problem, that there's no correlation between an engine like that that's never been used on this planet before and that's now being used by the millions everyday, this engine isn't increacing the CO2 in the atmosphere. Come on Auldsoul... get with the program.
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uninformed
dawg you wrote:
Giagal and auldsoul... CO2 is the byproduct of gasoline combustion engines... auldsoul, have you ever taken a chemestry class? This is basic Organic Chemestry which I haven't studdied in 8 years so excuse me if I'm rusty, but by burning Gasoline, human behavior has increased the levels of CO2 that is normally found in the atmosphere. If you want me to drag my old Organic chemestry book out and give you the molecular formula I will but I'd rather you take my word for it. I have a friend that is working in this field at UGA, she knows a damn sight more than I do about it-maybe I can get her in this duscussion this weekend, but it's really this simple... we drive combustion engines that use a carbon based fuel, the by-product of which when combined with oxygen is CO2; throughout our increased use of this engine human behavior has casued an unnatural increase in CO2. How's that?
I thought that CARBON MONOXIDE was the by product of gasoline engines. Are you sure of your facts?
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is what we exhale when we breathe. Trees breathe the C02 and give off oxygen.
Brant
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dawg
My brother uninformed... please connect to this website where you'll find that one of the by products of any hydrocarbon based fuel is CO2... You sir are a gentleman and a scholar, both for the way you phrased your question and your paitence with my slow mind.., You see fine sir, I'm driniking burbon while posting and have no ability for logic or reason at this time. So, thanks for your paitence.
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dawg
I can't get the web-site to copy and paste, if you look under internal combustion engines and their byproducts, you can google this information.
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uninformed
Thanks Dawg,
I will check it out.
I don't have a church to go to anymore, and you guys are all my brothers. Can't afford to lose any of you.
By the way, Crown Royal is my favorite, have another one on me.
Brant
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zagor
Gore may not be an expert, however with a Masters Degree in Environmental Science, I can say that I am an expert. Gore is doing perhaps the most important "warning" work that anyone has done in the history of the planet, and future generations will revere him as a prophet.
Gaiagirl, you took words out of my mouth. The funny thing is that here it's Gore's education that is in question but when hundreds of reputable scientists say the same then it is politics. Something is really wrong with the world we live in. I'm afraid that denial of GW is more of a psychological issue than a scientific one. To many xjws that seems like stepping back into fatalistic mindset they've escaped from. What many seems to have problem with grasping is that such cults take REAL issues to divert attention to themselves. That though doesn't make issues any less true and pertinent, the problem is not with the issue but to whom you look for the solution.
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ANewLeif
Many carbon-based life forms take in air and expel carbon dioxide: CO2. CO2 is a greenhouse gas. Many plants thrive in a CO2 rich atmosphere. Thriving plant life typically leads to larger specimen of herbivores and omnivores, which typically leads to larger specimen of herbivore eaters.
Vegetation "inhales" CO2 and "exhales" oxygen: O. Vegetation includes grass, trees, cyanophyta algae, etc. Larger animals can be supported more easily in an atmosphere richer in oxygen.
Cars "inhale" air and fuel, burn the fuel, and exhale carbon monoxide: CO. This gas can kill air breathers if its concentrations become to high.
Humans are very unlikely to kill the planet. Humans are statistically likely to exterminate humanity, the planet will be just fine.
ANL