Question 1

Although the amount of energy that leaves the earth’s surface is more than half of the amount of energy that reaches the surface, the earth does not cool rapidly due to the presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases like CO2, water vapour, methane and many others have the ability to retain heat from the emitted heat energy, keeping the earth warm.

Question 2

This quote is incorrect and probably used to mock at people who does not know the difference between weather, climate and global warming. This is because a cool season like winter does not signify that the earth is cooling down instead of getting warmer and warmer due to global warming. To study the rate of global warming, scientist studies the average weather over a period of time known as the climate. In addition, another sign of global warming can also be extreme weather conditions like longer winter that usual as illustrated in the source which shows overflowing snow as a sign of long winters.

Question 3

It wasn’t successful because the machine causes the surrounding air to be heated up as well. Since radiation was used, it caused diseases to the machine operators. In addition, the water molecules present in the surrounding air also absorbed the radiation from the machine and gives interfering results, leading to inaccurate data obtained. As such, the machine was not a successful design.

Question 4

We believe that air quality poses the most serious effect for us in the short run whereas in the long run, global warming is the most serious effect.

Air quality poses the most serious effect in short run is because we are living in a bustling city where there are more architectures than trees around us and we live an active lifestyle whereby we have to be outdoors almost everyday. Hence, if the air quality is bad, our health will be affected almost immediately.

However, global warming on the other hand is a long run issue as global warming causes a change in the climate/weather which is changing at a much slower state for now. however, in long run, the small change in weather/climate now(which most have not realised yet) will slowly adds up and become a significant change in the future.