1-14: Global Warming Potential

Importance of this Unit to the Course

By use of physical properties of greenhouse gases discussed in previous units, we now can make comparisons of the relative contributions of different greenhouse gases to global warming. We also can use knowledge of future gas emissions scenarios to estimate global warming due to increased greenhouse gases with natural variations in climate.

Objectives

To understand how the combination of radiative activity and lifetime can be used to evaluate the global warming potential of various gases.
To see how the global warming potential of the atmosphere is related to concentrations of trace gases and human activity.

Preparation for Discussion (You must complete this section before class.)

Read the summary information. (Print text for offline review; images only.)

Take the Quiz

Review additional reading material (this material is not covered in the quiz, but offers more ideas for online discussion)

Discussion (online / face-to-face) (See your portfolio for due dates and times)

A major component of the course is participation in the online dialog. The following types of comments are required:

Social Comments
Knowledge-building Comments
Ethical Comments

The following may be used as discussion starters for the online dialog:

Unit Problem to Ponder:

Why does burning of tropical rainforest lead to global warming but burning an equivalent amount (mass) of corn stalks does not?
Unit exam questions from previous years
Unit discussions from previous years, available from the current online discussion

Additional Reading