During today's geog lesson, Miss Lin showed us a video on the Earth's atmosphere. In short, it showed how the atmosphere was a contradiction. How it protects and helps us, yet poses a threat at the same time if its composition were to be changed. For instance, the mesosphere protects us from meteors, by burning them up, while the stratosphere absorbs the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. On the other hand, it could also cause tornadoes and lightning, threatening our lives. Is the atmosphere a friend, or a foe?
One of the highlights from the video, was the greenhouse gas, methane. It is ten times stronger than carbon dioxide in causing global warming. The video showed air bubbles containing methane trapped within the ice underground. The show host lighted a fire in one of the bubbles in the ice, igniting a huge flame, which was rather fascinating ^^. Not something you will see everyday... However, this is rather worrying, as great amounts of methane were present in the layer of ice. Imagine its effects on global warming, should the ice melt.
Through the video, I also realised how small we truly are. We live in the troposphere, the bottommost layer of the atmosphere. Being so adjusted to it, I never really tried to explore and understand the other layers above us. I was really amazed by Joe Kittinger, who flew up in a helium balloon alone, and travelled into the stratosphere- a layer above the troposphere, making a record in experiencing the longest free fall. Another man in the video, took the atmosphere to be his playground, and “surfed” in the air, while falling. He described the air around him as a fluid, which felt like a surface, and was able to do many incredible stunts.
To sum things up, I learned from today's lesson, that the atmosphere could be a both friend, and a foe. It is essential for our survival, yet it endangers our lives. Today's video, really intrigued me. Take a step back, and you will see that it has its beauty. From the aurora borealis, to the multi-coloured layers of iron oxide.
felicia =D
I too, find the part about how global warming results in melting of ice causing methane to be released was really interesting. Imagine what will happen in the future if we do not do anyting to help prevent the release of methane into the air.
ReplyDeletechailin
emm...I am also quite interested in this video. I can know more clearly about that our atomphere is just right for living, any change will affect lives. Even though the part that the methane come out of the ice and can be easily fired is quite interesting, but this is also the problem that we are facing.Imagine what will happen if all this Methane release to the atmosphere!!Methane is a kind of Greenhouse gas. To much of them will cause our climate change like global warming...So we really need to find the most effective solution to help us to tackle Climate Change.=P
ReplyDeleteZhang Nianchen
Yah!~I like the video that Miss Lin showed us very much. It is so interested and I also learnt many things from it. Our climate is changing, our world is growing warmer and warmer. It is really a serious problem we are facing. We must do something to stop the global warming as soon as possible. That's why we are doing our geo essay...haha~
ReplyDelete-LiuFan-:)
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ReplyDeleteThey didn't let me edit my comment! ):
ReplyDeleteSomehow, now that I know that once ice in the north/south poles are going to melt.. It is indeed very disturbing. We've all seen how a little flame, when introduced with Methane turned into such a HUGE flame which could've just burned me up or something. If nothing's done to get rid of the Methane, I think we're all going to burn to death when the ice melts ):
Shanice
Methane is not 10 times but 25 times stronger than Carbon Dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Fortunately, the lifespan of Methane in the atmosphere is only an estimated 12 years. Carbon Dioxide, however, has an atmospheric lifespan of anywhere from 50-200 years.
ReplyDeleteThe video showing how Methane reacted when a fire was lighted was really amazing. Imagine the repercussions if no one had noticed the presence of Methane in such places. Similarly, humans are still in the process of finding out more about climate change, global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, finding out how systems within systems correlate to affect each other.
Another video showing Methane being produced from the melting of permafrost: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B36EoEuKjVg