For example, the polar regions of the earth reflect sunlight because their solar angle is so low, due to their latitude, so they derive little heat from the constant sun they receive. At the equator's latitude, in contrast, things are much warmer and more humid because there is less reflection. Higher altitudes are colder and dryer than lower elevations. Oceans moderate temperature and increase humidity, while inland locations are dryer and more prone to extremes of hot and cold, and also more extreme weather events, like the tornados that often affect the Midwest. Local terrain like mountains can cause clouds and precipitations on the side of the summit closest to the wind ("Earth's climate and climate change," 2007, PowerPoint Presentation).
Explain why our energy depends on fossil fuel and why it is a major problem for the U.S. And environmentally for the world.
Greenhouse gases are chemically stable gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, oxides of nitrogen, and halocarbons that trap infrared radiation emitted from the earth. Fossil fuel burning accounts for 65% of CO2 in the atmosphere and take a long time to dissipate...
The earth's temperature is steadily getting warmer as a result of humanity's dependence upon fossil fuels for manufacturing, heating, cooling, and other aspects that enable what we think of as modern life to function. Also, the developing world is emitting more of these fossil fuels, and its population is rapidly expanding. Climate change is occurring as the result of human factors that the earth cannot support, unlike the incremental changes that affected it before human beings began to industrialize their lifestyle.
Works Cited
Earth's climate and climate change." (2007). PowerPoint Presentation. Retrieved 5 Oct 2007 at http://nlc.gats-inc.com/nlc_epo/epo_climate_lesson.ppt#269,7,ClimateData
Earth's surface." (2007). Discovery Magazine. Retrieved 5 Oct 2007 at http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/earthssurface/
Exploring Earth." (2007). Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved 5 Oct 2007 at http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/es2101/es2101page03.cfm?chapter_no=investigation
