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3: Gases and Climate Change

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    466585
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    • 3.1: The Kinetic-Molecular Theory of Gases
      Gases are found all around us, making up the atmosphere that sustains our life through breath. This section will explain the tenets of kinetic theory of gases that explains the behaviors of gases under most conditions.
    • 3.2: The Simple Gas Laws
      The gas laws are grounded in the kinetic theory of gases. In this section, we will explore the relationship between 3 properties of gases: pressure, volume, and temperature. If one of these properties changes, it impacts the other properties in a predictable way.
    • 3.3: Earth's Atmosphere- Divisions and Composition
      The atmosphere extends about 500 km above the surface of the planet. In this section, we will explore the layers and the composition of the atmosphere.
    • 3.4: Outdoor Air Pollution
      Air pollution is the release of pollutants into the air that have harmful effects on human health, living organisms, and/or on the environment. In this section, we will explore the sources and effects of some common air pollutants.
    • 3.5: Greenhouse Gases
      We will be covering the four major categories of greenhouse gases that have been impacted by humans the most. See Table 3.5.1 for a numeric comparison of these greenhouse gases.
    • 3.6: Stratospheric Ozone- Earth's Vital Shield
      The ozone layer, located in the stratosphere, offers important protection from the sun's UV radiation. Unfortunately, due to human activity, this protective layer is decreasing. In this section, we will explore the Chapman cycle which explains how ozone is constantly being created and destroyed, and we will also investigate how human activity destroys this important protective layer.
    • 3.7: Consequences of Climate Change
      The average temperature of the Earth has been increasing, referred to as global warming. We have also seen, and expect to continue to see, changes to other chemical, physical, and biological aspects of the Earth’s environment, referred to as climate change.


    3: Gases and Climate Change is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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