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Author Question: Why are O2 and N2 not greenhouse gases? What will be an ideal ... (Read 87 times)

bobbysung

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on: Jul 14, 2018
Why are O2 and N2 not greenhouse gases?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Identify two positive feedback loops in Earth's climates system. Why is Earth's climate stable despite these destabilizing, positive feedbacks?
 
  What will be an ideal response?


joewallace

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Reply #1 on: Jul 14, 2018
Answer to Question 1

O2 and N2 are poor absorbers of IR radiation and, thus, are not considered greenhouse gases. As O2 and N2 are totally symmetric molecules, electromagnetic waves pass by such molecules without being absorbed. Technically, they have no electric dipole moment with which the radiation can interact.

Answer to Question 2

The water vapor feedback is a positive feedback that tends to amplify small temperature perturbations. The ice albedo feedback is another positive feedback that tends to amplify changes to the Earth's surface temperature. Earth's climate is stable because of the negative feedback between the surface temperature and the flux of outgoing infrared radiation.


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