Question

In: Chemistry

Humans are adding heat, mainly through the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power, to the...

Humans are adding heat, mainly through the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power, to the current Earth energy balance between incoming and outgoing energy. Is the added heat upsetting the balance and therefore causing Earth to warm up? Why or why not?

Solutions

Expert Solution

Humans are adding heat, mainly through the use of fossil fuels and nuclear power, to the current Earth energy balance between incoming and outgoing energy. The added heat is indeed upsetting the balance and therefore causing Earth to warm up. This is because the amount of absorbed solar energy will continue to exceed the amount of thermal infrared energy that can escape to space. The energy imbalance will continue to grow, and surface temperatures will continue to rise.

On the other hand, if the concentration of greenhouse gases stabilizes, then Earth’s climate will once again come into equilibrium.

queen_honey_blossom answered 2 years ago
Next > < Previous

Related Solutions

As a society we get energy from: • Fossil fuels • Hydroelectric plants • Nuclear power...
As a society we get energy from: • Fossil fuels • Hydroelectric plants • Nuclear power plants • Wind turbines • Solar cells For each of these, trace what forms of energy are involved in getting energy from the source to your home.
Q6. We all know that, power generation through fossil fuels creates more environmental impacts on the...
Q6. We all know that, power generation through fossil fuels creates more environmental impacts on the earth. You are much worried about increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In this situation, as an engineer (i) what are the alternative sources will you suggest for energy generation (mention four alternative energy sources). (ii) Mention the conversion process and uses of energy sources that are suggested by you. (iii) Mention any two dominant alternative energy source in Oman.
Solar energy is an alternative to fossil fuels for providing electrical power for both homes and...
Solar energy is an alternative to fossil fuels for providing electrical power for both homes and businesses. It may be locally produced and used at the same location as the panels, which reduces distribution costs. Large facilities may be located in available space and the power added to the "grid" that distributes electricity. Solar power may be a better choice in rural or undeveloped areas where the grid infrastructure is unreliable or just not there, and it has been discussed...
Solar energy is an alternative to fossil fuels for providing electrical power for both homes and...
Solar energy is an alternative to fossil fuels for providing electrical power for both homes and businesses. It may be locally produced and used at the same location as the panels, which reduces distribution costs. Large facilities may be located in available space and the power added to the "grid" that distributes electricity. Solar power may be a better choice in rural or undeveloped areas where the grid infrastructure is unreliable or just not there, and it has been discussed...
A policy calls for the elimination of the use of all fossil fuels ; which of...
A policy calls for the elimination of the use of all fossil fuels ; which of the following would impact this policy? it would reduce the price of goods like electricity it would reduce fossil fuel consumption beyond the socially optimal level it would maximize social welfare it would result in the optimal level of greenhouse gas emissions
Discuss, and make a comparison of, pollution by conventional fossil-fuel power plants and nuclear-fission power plants.
Discuss, and make a comparison of, pollution by conventional fossil-fuel power plants and nuclear-fission power plants. Consider thermal pollution, chemical pollution, and radioactive pollution.
Carbon fossil fuels are utilized to power our vehicles, make oil, and even t-shirts. The EPA...
Carbon fossil fuels are utilized to power our vehicles, make oil, and even t-shirts. The EPA has determined that a car transforms a gallon of octane (C8H18) to 33.7 kWh (kilowatt*hours, an expression of energy) in order to power a vehicle. 1. Provide the balanced equation for the complete combustion of octane. 2. If a truck is able to drive 360 miles on a tank of octane (22 gallons) how much energy is needed to move the vehicle one mile?...
) A nuclear power facility produces a vast amount of heat which is usually discharged into...
) A nuclear power facility produces a vast amount of heat which is usually discharged into aquatic systems. This heat raises the temperature of the aquatic system, resulting in a greater concentration of chlorophyll, which in turn extends the growing season. To study this effect, water samples were collected monthly at 3 stations for a period of 10 months. The associated data is available in a sheet named ‘Problem 2’ . (a) Write down the model form of the complete...
1. A nuclear power plant contains a heat engine that operates between the temperatures of 150oC...
1. A nuclear power plant contains a heat engine that operates between the temperatures of 150oC and 677oC. (a) What is the Carnot efficiency of the engine? (b) If the engine exhausts energy to the cold reservoir at a rate of QC = 7.0 × 108 J per second, how much heat energy must be flowing into the engine from the hot reservoir (QH) each second? 2. A house has a flat (horizontal) roof. If the wind then blows over...
Why is a nuclear power plant less efficient in converting heat energy to electricity than a...
Why is a nuclear power plant less efficient in converting heat energy to electricity than a fossil-fueled power plant?  
ADVERTISEMENT
Subjects
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest Questions
ADVERTISEMENT