how does air pollution contributes to global warming?

Question

because i have 2 write a 3 page essay on how air pollution countributes to global warming.

Answer 1

Air pollution refers to emissions mainly from power plants and automobiles, which is typically carbon dioxide, one of many greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases allow solar radiation to enter the atmosphere in the form of shortwave radiation. This radiation is absorbed by the ground, and then re-emitted by the ground in the form of longwave radiation. When this radiation reaches the greenhouse gases again it is absorbed and re-emitted back down to the lower atmosphere, warming the air.

Since the planet already has a natural amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which maintains a temperature suitable for life, the extra emissions from air pollution contribute to global warming.

Note: Volcanic ash reflects light energy coming from the sun (shortwave radiation), thereby cooling the lower atmosphere. Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, etc) only reflect a very small percentage of shortwave radiation, but absorb then re-emit longwave radiation back into the lower atmosphere. So the clouds and gases created by volcanic eruptions do block sunlight and cool the lower atmosphere, while greenhouse gases allow sunlight to enter and trap it, warming the lower atmosphere.

Answer 2

Excuse me but this whole premise is wrong. Air pollution (excepting carbon dioxide, methane and water vapor) does not contribute to global warming. It helps cool the planet by "shading" the planet and reflecting sunlight back into space. The best example of this was the volcano in the Philippines, Mount Pinatubo, which erupted in 1991. It polluted the atmosphere with ash, sulphuric acid aerosols, etc. I quote from Wikipedia:

"The effects of the eruption were felt worldwide. It injected large amounts of aerosols into the stratosphere—more than any eruption since that of Krakatoa in 1883. Over the following months, the aerosols formed a global layer of sulfuric acid haze. Global temperatures dropped by about 0.5 °C (0.9 °F), and ozone destruction increased substantially."

More recently there have been several proposals by atmospheric scientists to combat global warming by increasing air pollution.

An update:

This appeared in todays Independent, a British newspaper:

A United Nations report has identified the world's rapidly growing herds of cattle as the greatest threat to the climate, forests and wildlife. And they are blamed for a host of other environmental crimes, from acid rain to the introduction of alien species, from producing deserts to creating dead zones in the oceans, from poisoning rivers and drinking.

So, this would be methane coming from the cows. Carbon dioxide is NOT considered a pollutant by the Enviromental Protection Agency.

Answer 3

Air pollution causes the heat rising from the ground to be reflected back down rather than allowing it to dissipate out to space.
An interesting note; during the days after 9-11 when there no planes flying over North America, climatologists noted a definite difference in the temperature due to the fact there were no contrails in the air.

Answer 4

Global warming is basically all about the atmosphere in the end, so air pollution is very important. See greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide emissions.