The document summarizes the greenhouse effect and its implications. It explains that Earth's atmosphere, composed of gases like nitrogen and oxygen, also contains greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. These gases absorb infrared radiation emitted from the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere, trapping heat and warming the surface. Without this greenhouse effect, the Earth would be too cold to support life. However, increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are enhancing the greenhouse effect and causing global warming, which will lead to problems like increased temperatures, droughts, floods, and rising sea levels. The document urges individuals to take actions like using less energy and recycling to reduce their carbon footprint and help address climate change.

1. CENTRAL UNIVERSITY OF ECUADOR

3. Our Earth
• The Earth is like an island of life in the midst of
empty space. the conditions of our world are
perfect. The air, water and sun give us light and
heat, and life.

4. Our Earth
• Our planet is surrounded by the atmosphere. It is
a thin layer of gases (mainly oxygen and
nitrogen) that extends to about 700 km over
the Earth's surface. It is in the atmosphere, where
keeps the planet warm and all weather
phenomena occur. This layer also contains
other chemical elements: nitrogen, carbon and
cook, constantly transferred to Earth and used
by living elements.

5. The greenhouse effect
Earth atmosphere is
composed by gases such as
nitrogen and oxygen (needed
for breathing).
Other gases less called“
greenhouse“
as carbon dioxide, methane
and nitrogen dioxide.

6. The greenhouse effect
• In small
concentrations the
greenhouse gases are
vital for our survival.
• When sunlight reaches
Earth, a little of this
energy is reflected in the
clouds, the rest passes
through the atmosphere
and reaches the ground.
Thanks to this
energy, plants can grow
and develop.

7. The greenhouse effect
• But not all the sun's energy is
harnessed on Earth, some is
"returned" to the space. Since
Earth is much cooler than
the Sun, it can not return
as heat and light. The are called
• INFRARED rays.

8. Greenhouse
Greenhouse
gases absorb this infrared
energy like a sponge, thus
warming the Earth's
surface as the air around
it. If there were no
greenhouse gases, the
planet would be about
30 degrees colder than it is
now! Under these
conditions, life probably
could never have developed.

9. • The sun's energy is
trapped by gases in
the same way that
heat is
trapped behind
the glass of a
greenhouse.

10. • The Sun will produces
a series of nuclear
reactions as result of the
emission of huge
amounts of energy. Very
little of this energy
reaches the Earth, and
participates in a series
of physical and chemical
processes, essential for
life.

11. Implications
• We know the consequences of the
greenhouse effect, the question is, what we
can expect for the next century? If do not

12. • Increase in average global temperature.

13. • Increased drought in some areas and
floods in others.
Drought Floods

14. • Increased frequency of hurricane formation.

15. • Progressive melting of polar ice caps, resulting
in rising sea levels.

16. • Increased rainfall on a global level but fewer
days and more rain in torrents.

17. • Increase in number of hot days, resulting
in heat waves.

18. What can you do?
• All the inhabitants of this planet, we must take
action to stop climate changes and
the greenhouse effect.
We can replace aerosols, the main source of
these gases, sprays that do not harm the
environment.

19. • The methane from livestock waste can be
recycled at a chemical plant to produce
energy.
• We can plant a tree

20. At home, remember not to
waste electricity.
• Use a heating system that uses the maximum
energy and need more energy to produce
heat.

21. • Reducing fuel consumption. Currently a
car shows each year four times its weight
in carbon dioxide.

22. • Turn off lights whenever you leave a room; Do
not leave the TV or stereo on when not using .

23. • Do not let hot water run when washing.
• You can also give new uses to the
bottles. Recycle glass, plastic, paper
in this way we can save many trees.

24. • Always remember that every
minute humans emit 48
000 tons of carbon dioxide into
the atmosphere.
• And we can all help reduce this
amount.

25. Source of information
• http://www.portalplanetasedna.com.a
r/efecto_invernadero1.htm