Question: do you know why the world is getting so hot?

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  1. You mean global warming? The physics is that an increasing concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases in the upper atmosphere causes more heat to be trapped on Earth, increasing the average temperature.

    It is quite interesting how it happens. The sun has a temperature of about 6000 kelvin on its surface – and this determines the typical wavelength of light it emits. This is in the visible region of the spectrum – and this goes through the atmosphere with no trouble, and is absorbed by the Earth.

    However, the Earth itself is closer to 300 kelvin – and this means that it radiates in the infra-red region of the spectrum. This is what gets reflected by “greenhouse” gases.

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  2. Matthew did a great job of explaining the concept of Global Warming.

    “So hot” however is relative. While local temperatures may become hotter or in some cases colder, it is the overall increase that is of concern. Prediction from climate change models suggest that the average temperature rise may be in the order of 1-3 degrees. This doesn’t sound like a lot say on the difference between a 24 and 26 degree spring day, but day after day and on a global scale – it is. Ice packs will melt, sea level will rise, oceans will become more acidic, extreme weather events will increase and many species will potentially be lost.

    It is not so much that the world is getting “so hot”, but rather the consequences of the increase that is occurring.

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  3. As Matthew & James said

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  4. What they said.

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