Chapter 1 Historical Background To The Study Of Climate Change
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Chapter 1. Historical Background
Historical Background to the
Study of Climate Change
In the 19th century, scientists realized that gases in the atmosphere caused a "greenhouse effect" which affected the planet's temperature. These scientists were interested in the possibility that a lower level of carbon dioxide gas might explain the ice ages of the distant past.
At the turn of the century, Svante Arrhenius calculated that the emissions from human industry might someday bring a global warming. Other scientists dismissed his idea as faulty.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
1750s:
• Joseph Black identified carbon dioxide in the air.
• A Scottish scientist known for his work on latent heat, specific heat and CO2.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
• Nitrogen was discovered by the
Scottish scientist
Daniel Rutherford in
1772.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
1781:
• Henry Cavendish measures the percentage composition of nitrogen and oxygen in the air.
Henry Cavendish was a
British scientist noted for his discovery of hydrogen.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
• English chemist
Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774.
Historical Background
1820s:
Joseph
Fourier
postulated that some of the gases in the atmosphere must trap heat.
Historical Background
John Tyndall was a prominent Irish physicist in the 19th century. Beginning in the late
1850s,
Tyndall studied the action of radiant energy on the constituents of air. Historical Background
• John Tyndall found out that gases like water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide CO2 and CH4 could trap heat rays in the Earth’s atmosphere. Historical Background
• Svante
August
Arrhenius was a
Swedish scientist from Stockholm, who won a Nobel
Prize in chemistry in 1903.
Historical Background
1890s:
Svante Arrhenius completed a numerical experiment, which suggested that cutting the amount of carbon dioxide-CO2 in the
Earth’s atmosphere by half could lower the temperature in Europe by some 4-5oC.
This
Chapter 1. Historical Background
Historical Background to the
Study of Climate Change
In the 19th century, scientists realized that gases in the atmosphere caused a "greenhouse effect" which affected the planet's temperature. These scientists were interested in the possibility that a lower level of carbon dioxide gas might explain the ice ages of the distant past.
At the turn of the century, Svante Arrhenius calculated that the emissions from human industry might someday bring a global warming. Other scientists dismissed his idea as faulty.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
1750s:
• Joseph Black identified carbon dioxide in the air.
• A Scottish scientist known for his work on latent heat, specific heat and CO2.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
• Nitrogen was discovered by the
Scottish scientist
Daniel Rutherford in
1772.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
1781:
• Henry Cavendish measures the percentage composition of nitrogen and oxygen in the air.
Henry Cavendish was a
British scientist noted for his discovery of hydrogen.
The History of Atmospheric
Science
• English chemist
Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774.
Historical Background
1820s:
Joseph
Fourier
postulated that some of the gases in the atmosphere must trap heat.
Historical Background
John Tyndall was a prominent Irish physicist in the 19th century. Beginning in the late
1850s,
Tyndall studied the action of radiant energy on the constituents of air. Historical Background
• John Tyndall found out that gases like water vapour (H2O), carbon dioxide CO2 and CH4 could trap heat rays in the Earth’s atmosphere. Historical Background
• Svante
August
Arrhenius was a
Swedish scientist from Stockholm, who won a Nobel
Prize in chemistry in 1903.
Historical Background
1890s:
Svante Arrhenius completed a numerical experiment, which suggested that cutting the amount of carbon dioxide-CO2 in the
Earth’s atmosphere by half could lower the temperature in Europe by some 4-5oC.
This