Describe what the greenhouse effect is and how it is caused on a molecular level.

1 answer:

6 0

The greenhouse effect is the process by the temperature of surface of earth increases because of earth's atmosphere.

Mechanism:

Sun emits a broad band of visible light spanning from red to blue colour. In addition to this, it emits UV and IR radiation. Infrared radiations have wavelength longer than IR, while UV ray have wavelength shorter than visible light. Each of these radiations are received on the earth's surface. On receiving radiation, part of it is absorbed by earth and remaining is reflected back. Generally, light of longer wavelength (IR) is reflected to larger extend as compared to shorter wavelength. Due to this, air present in atmosphere gets heated up. It must be noted that, molecule like CO2, which is present in air absorbs light from both direct and reflected fraction of light. This phenomenon is referred as green house effect. Molecule which absorb long wavelength light (IR) are present in atmosphere due to human activities. Hence, green house effect is often considered to arise because of human activities of altering the composition of air.

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Is the formation of acid rain an exothermic or endothermic reaction?

Monica [59]

It is an exothermic reaction

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Which of the following describes the boundaries created by earth's tectonic systems

Dvinal [7]

The earth's plates usually move in three different ways resulting in three different types of plate margins/ boundaries: CONVERGENT, DIVERGENT and TRANSFORM plate boundaries.

When plates move towards each other, they collide and this usually either results in the denser of the plates sliding below the other plate or both plates pushing against each other resulting in both plates being pushed upwards to form often times Fold Mountains. This type of earth tectonics causes a CONVERGENT (destructive; because the collision of the plates results in loss of earth surface area) plate boundary to be formed.

Plates can also pull away from each other and in so doing creating space usually in the form of a fissure between the two moving plates. This fissure usually also for molten earth (magma) rising to the surface and closing the opening between the plates. This type of earth tectonic is known to form DIVERGENT (constructive; because it usually results in new land being formed) plate margins.

Plates also slide against each other (side to side) thus not resulting in neither the destruction or creation of new land. This kind of plate margin is known as the TRANSFORM plate boundary.

The diagram below helps to solidify the points made above.