Carbon Dioxide and Methane – The Greenhouse Gases
Carbon Dioxide and Methane – The Greenhouse Gases
Water Vapour
- Water vapour is the biggest contributor to greenhouse effect.
- Human activities are not directly responsible for emitting water vapour in quantities sufficient to change its concentration in the atmosphere.
- However, increase in concentration of other greenhouse gases increases the earth’s temperature which leads to high rate of evaporation.
- The concentration of water vapour is 1-4% in the atmosphere. The concentration is higher at equator than at the poles.
- Unlike other greenhouse gases, water vapours persist in the atmosphere for a short time period.
- Water vapours emerge due to evaporation and fall back on the surface of the earth due to precipitation.
Carbon Dioxide
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary greenhouse gas, because it is emitted in large quantity. Carbon dioxide is a part of natural circulation of atmospheric gases.
- However, human activities increase the concentration of CO2 in the environment. These activities include burning of fossil fuels.
- Apart from the release of CO2 due to the burning of fossil fuels, CO2 is also generated by various chemical processes.
- Human activities also decrease the capacity of natural sinks of CO2 such as forests, polar ice caps, oceans, etc.
Methane
- Methane (CH4) has higher global warming potential (GWP) than CO2. Same quantity of CH4 traps more sun rays than that of CO2.
- However, it is released in small quantity as compared to CO2. Carbon Dioxide and Methane – The Greenhouse Gases
- Various sources from which methane is released are as follows:
- Wetlands (e.g. rice fields) are the largest source of methane. Wetlands are more in the tropical region than in the other regions of the world.
- Seventy percent of wetlands in India are rice fields. Methane is released in the wetlands as a result of decomposition of organic matter due to lack of oxygen.
- Livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats, etc., produce methane during digestion. Decomposition of manure also leads to the discharge of methane.
- Arctic methane release is the release of methane from seas and soils in permafrost regions of the Arctic.
- As it is a long-term natural process, it is increased due to global warming. This results in a positive feedback effect, as methane is itself a powerful greenhouse gas.
- Methane is also a component of natural gas. Production and consumption of natural gas causes discharge of methane.
- Decomposition of biodegradable waste also generates methane.
- Treatment of wastewater generates methane. Carbon Dioxide and Methane – The Greenhouse Gases
ALSO READ : https://www.brainyias.com/wetland-ecosystem-and-its-importance/
