Essay, Research Paper: Global Warning

Global Warming
The earth's average temperature stays fairly much the same from year to year. It
gets very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer. Although some years may be a
little hotter than normal, it may be a little cooler where others live. Consequently, when
you look at the average temperature everywhere on the earth for a whole year, there is
very little change. The current average global temperature is about 57 degrees Fahrenheit
(14 degrees C). If there is a rise in this average temperature, then we have global warming.
In the last 100 years, the average temperature rose less than 1 degree. However, in 1995,
some say was the hottest year we have ever had, the average temperature went up half of
a degree.
On earth we get energy from the sun's light. If the sun is shining brightly on a
summer day it gets hot outside. The reason it warms up is because the earth is absorbing
solar energy. However, not all of the energy is absorbed. Some energy is reflected back
into space in the form of light. In order for our earth to stay the same temperature from
year to year, the energy arriving at the earth must be the same as the energy leaving the
earth. Therefore, if there is more energy arriving than leaving, we will have global
warming. The reason the earth could retain more energy than it gives off has to do with
the air around us and what it is made of. When wood, coal or gasoline is burned, carbon
dioxide is released. Carbon dioxide is a gas that can't be seen or smelled. If the amount of
Carbondioxide in the air goes up, the earth will heat up, which in turn is the start of global
warming.
As it gets warmer, there will be more evaporation from large bodies of water. This
increased evaporation will cause more clouds and more rainfall. Scientists are pretty
certain that there will be increased precipitation in the northern polar zone, but in other
areas they are not as sure. Some regions may actually have less rainfall than there is right
now. Higher temperatures will melt the snow earlier in the year and the land will have a
longer time to dry out. Crops that grow in these regions may not survive this added
warmth and dryness. But other changes, such as the amount of rainfall and local
temperature differences, may affect which crops will do well and which ones will not.
Some individuals think that there may be more hurricanes as a result of global warming.
However, there are so many factors that lead to tropical storms like this, that it is
uncertain what will happen.
Global warming is a constant reoccurring factor. Some say there will be an
increase in global temperatures, which is very probable. This means that the infrared
energy absorption due to the effect of all the greenhouse gases would double from what it
was. Surface atmospheric temperatures could go up 2 to 6 degrees. The rate of this rise in
temperature, will be governed by the rate at which the concentration of greenhouse gases
increases, but other factors complicate this. The most significant source of uncertainty is
the effect that clouds will have on the system. The areas that will most likely be affected
by temperature increases are the northern polar zone, where winter means temperatures
could go up about 18 degrees. In addition, the continental interiors, where significant
warming could occur. As we can see, global warming will be a factor at great in the near
future.