2007-07-11 01:48:23 · 11 answers · asked by jack_scar_action_hero 3 in Environment ➔ Global Warming
By Alarmists' way of thinking - yes. They claim quite correctly that Nitrogen and Oxygen do not absorb significant amounts of IR. They don't calculate water vapor and clouds into the Greenhouse effect - largely because they can't figure it out, but then they don't want to consider something that they know would destroy their hypothesis; water vapor stands there doing nothing until CO2 "tags" it in, then magically it can start doing its stuff as part of the feedback phenomenon. So that pretty much leaves you with CO2, retaining heat by re-radiating it back to the surface.
The partial pressure of CO2 on Mars is at least 50 times greater than that of Earth. If the N2, O2, and H2O don't contribute to the Greenhouse effect as claimed, then the Greenhouse effect should be 50 times greater - but that would make Mars the hottest planet in the solar system at over 1000K surface temp.
2007-07-11 04:20:21 · answer #1 · answered by 3DM 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
No. Although Mars' atmoshpere may be 95% CO2 (I don't know this for sure) it shouldn't take a physicist to understand that the Martain atmosphere is a fraction of the density of Earth's. Thus, although 95% of what is there may be CO2, there isn't really very much carbon because the density is so low. So heat wouldn't get trapped there at all. I have a great way for you to educate yourself on the impact of density. Find a vacuum chamber and suck all the air out. Pump in 95 molecules of oxygen and 5 molecules of some other gas, lets say nitrogen. Then lock yourself in. The atmosphere is 95% oxygen, so you should be fine, right?
2007-07-11 11:09:09 · answer #2 · answered by Gretch 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The sad fact is people on both side are poorly informed, note jl comment (with three thumbs up) that Mars has 1/4 the density of Earth, I sorry but that is absurd, Mars atmospheric density is just 1% that of Earth, a human being standing on the surface would need a full space suit to survive. As you say it is as quite a bit further from the Sun the very low atmospheric pressure also means almost no atmospheric water vapor, which on Earth is responsible for most of the natural greenhouse effect, without water vapor Earth would be ~30c colder, more like Mars in fact. While denier like to quote Mars as being -70c or colder, the fact is in places like Valles Marineris the atmospheric temp can reach +20c. Then there's you comment that Mars has more methane than Earth, were are you getting this fiction, Earth atmospheric methanes is 1.79ppm (parts per million) Mars is 10ppb (that is parts per billion). If you get from those figures that Mars has more, then it time to go back to school.
2016-05-19 05:42:15 · answer #3 · answered by kathleen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not the fraction of CO2 in the atmosphere, it's the total amount. Mars' atmosphere is mostly CO2, but the atmosphere is very thin, less than 1/10 that of Earth. Furthermore, Mars is much further from the Sun than Earth.
It is important to be quantitative about these issues, and consider all the factors. You can't draw valid conclusions from a single statistic or a crude analogy.
There is little doubt about the amount of greenhouse effect from a given amount of CO2. It's a complex calculation that depends on a lot of laboratory data (the whole infrared spectrum of CO2), but done correctly the errors are small.
2007-07-11 02:40:54 · answer #4 · answered by cosmo 7 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Carbon Dioxide is not flammable. CO2 is the gas that is used in your fire extiguishers. So, no, it shouldn't be a ball of fire.
As far as a greenhouse effect, it's atmosphere is much thinner than earth's and that's why it gets cold enough to freeze at the poles even though it is closer.
2007-07-11 03:08:48 · answer #5 · answered by devilishblueyes 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
1 - Long way from the sun
2 - Very little atmosphere to trap heat
2007-07-11 02:09:01 · answer #6 · answered by jdkilp 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's still further away from the sun, so I suppose the effect just doesn't take place.
2007-07-11 01:59:09 · answer #7 · answered by Katie Z 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you are right!!! WOW, That's why there is beautiful vegetation, and wild animals, and people living la vida loca!! in mars.
Let's leave Mars alone and focus in our planet.
2007-07-11 02:06:31 · answer #8 · answered by juampa24 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
...and it burns burns burns....the ball of fire...the ball of fire! - Paul Shanklan.
Let's send the left over there and have them plant trees to prevent Global Warming!
2007-07-11 03:22:20 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
You would think, huh?
2007-07-11 01:51:35 · answer #10 · answered by Always Right 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋