Global Warming vs Greenhouse Effect
During the past 40 years or so, the Earth has experienced significant climate change. Extreme weather, intense cold during winter, and severe heat during the summer months are being experienced in most areas of the world.
Frequent flooding and droughts are also being experienced more frequently, and changes in the weather and climate can disrupt the ecosystem, cause ill effects on the health of man, can restrict the availability of water and food supplies, and cause damage on infrastructure and buildings.
This climate change is caused by global warming which is the rise of global atmospheric temperature that can greatly affect the seasons, humidity, rainfall, and sea level. Global warming is in turn caused by an extreme greenhouse effect.
Thermal radiation from the sun is reflected back to space as it comes into contact with the Earth’s surface. During this process, some gases such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, CFC, and methane are trapped within the atmosphere of the Earth producing the greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect is a normal occurrence without which the Earth would become very cold and pose a threat to the survival of all living things on Earth. It was discovered in 1824 by Joseph Fourier. The greenhouse effect then was only mild compared to the greenhouse effect that the Earth is experiencing at present.
As the human population increased, atmospheric gases that they produced also increased thus heightening the greenhouse effect and making it more powerful. This in turn causes global warming which is an increase in the surface temperature of the Earth.
While natural occurrences such as volcanic eruptions, the release of water vapor and methane from wetlands cause a greenhouse effect that is just right for man to survive on Earth, human activities such as depleting the Earth’s natural resources, causing pollution, and the constant burning of fossil fuels have greatly disrupted this balance.
An extreme greenhouse effect causes global warming and climate change. And while the greenhouse effect is natural, global warming is not. It is caused by the excesses of man, overpopulation, severe pollution, overuse of the Earth’s resources, and plain indifference.
The greenhouse effect happens faster while global warming takes more time to manifest. Global warming is the slow and constant increase in the Earth’s temperature for a period of ten years or more while the greenhouse effect takes place the moment the sun’s radiation reaches the Earth and is reflected back into space.
Summary:
1.The greenhouse effect is produced when thermal radiation from the sun comes in contact with the Earth’s surface and is reflected back into space with some of the atmospheric gases getting trapped in the atmosphere while global warming is the increase in the Earth’s surface temperature and is the result of the greenhouse effect.
2.The greenhouse effect is a natural occurrence and is important for man’s survival, but an extreme greenhouse effect can cause global warming which can be detrimental for man.
3.The greenhouse effect happens faster while global warming is a slow and gradual process that takes place over a period of ten years or more.