Fun Facts About Svante Arrehenius (Fifth Grade Chemistry continued)
Though he already made notable discoveries, Arrhenius continued to work on science. A little before the year 1900, he began to focus on the chemical properties of gases, particularly carbon dioxide. Knowing that gases remain gases because the molecules of the gas are greatly dispersed and knowing that carbon dioxide retains heat, he speculated that the amount of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere can alter the temperature of the earth. He called this the greenhouse effect, naming it after the hot houses used to grow flowers and plants during the cold or winter season.
By using the infrared observations of the moon of other scientists, he was able to calculate the absorption of carbon dioxide and water vapor. From these calculations he came up with the greenhouse law or theory and supported it with a mathematic equation. His work was met with criticism by some, but when he announced that the human emission of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels would prevent the earth from going into another ice age because of the world would be warmer on a global scale (global warming) he received a larger audience, though many were not from the scientific world.
It wasn't until around 1960 did more scientists give thought to Arrhenius' study of carbon dioxide and how it can affect the earth on a global scale. Now, global warming, climate change, and the greenhouse effect are realities that society is living with. Arrhenius was right all along. He was only wrong about one thing. He had believed that the warming would be for the better (we would not have to go through another ice age), but now we know that humankind has overdone it when it comes to carbon gas emissions that the warming is actually on a destructive path.
Luckily, we know from chemistry that if we can calculate the effects of carbon gas one way, we can also calculate it's effects if we do the reverse of what we're doing now. Meaning, if we emit less carbon gases, eventually the buildup will slow down and the gases will further disperse and move out of our biosphere (mostly through photosynthesis.) This means global warming can be stopped and Svante's original thought of simply preventing another ice age may become a reality.
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