LECTURE 15: EARTH: SURFACE AND ATMOSPHERE

Key Questions:






CONTINENTAL DRIFT








PLATE TECTONICS








EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE

Why no hydrogen and helium?








OXYGEN








SURFACE TEMPERATURE

Surface of Earth well insulated from hot material below.
Temperature of Earth's surface determined by heating from Sun.








THE "GREENHOUSE" EFFECT

Why is surface warmer than above argument implies?






GLOBAL WARMING

We rely on the greenhouse effect to keep the Earth's surface at a livable temperature.
BUT
You can have too much of a good thing.

What will happen next?

Don't know.
Many significant uncertainties in climate modeling, though these are getting smaller as models improve.

Bottom line: We are engaged in a risky global chemistry experiment.






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Updated: 2005 May 8[dhw]