What is "methane" gas and how does it adversly affect our environment?
Answer:
Methane is a colorless, odorless gas with a wide distribution in nature. It is the principal component of natural gas, a mixture containing about 75% CH4, 15% ethane (C2H6), and 5% other hydrocarbons, such as propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10).Methane is a relatively potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential.[1] When averaged over 100 years each kg of CH4 warms the Earth 23 times as much as the same mass of CO2, Methane plays a double-edged role as an environmentally important trace gas, both protecting
and altering the earth's atmosphere. On methane's negative side, it directly increases the greenhouse effect in two ways. First, methane absorbs infrared radiation well, 20 times better than CO2. Secondly, increased methane concentrations increase the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere, further trapping heat like the panes
of a greenhouse. On methane's positive side, it protects the ozone layer. In the stratosphere methane reacts with and
removes chlorine atoms. If the chlorine did not react with methane, methane would quickly react with
ozone, thus destroying it.
Methane plays a double-edged role as an environmentally important trace gas, both protecting
and altering the earth's atmosphere.
On methane's negative side, it directly increases the greenhouse effect in two ways. First, methane
absorbs infrared radiation well, 20 times better than CO2. Secondly, increased methane concentrations
increase the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere, further trapping heat like the panes
of a greenhouse.
On methane's positive side, it protects the ozone layer. In the stratosphere methane reacts with and
removes chlorine atoms. If the chlorine did not react with methane, methane would quickly react with
ozone, thus destroying it.
Methane is a colorless, odorless gas with a wide distribution in nature. It is the principal component of natural gas, a mixture containing about 75% CH4, 15% ethane (C2H6), and 5% other hydrocarbons, such as propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10).
Methane is a relatively potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential.[1] When averaged over 100 years each kg of CH4 warms the Earth 23 times as much as the same mass of CO2,
Methane is a chemical compound with the molecular formula CH4. It is the simplest alkane, and the principal component of natural gas. Burning one molecule of methane in the presence of oxygen releases one molecule of CO2 (carbon dioxide) and two molecules of H2O:
CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O
Methane's relative abundance and clean burning process makes it a very attractive fuel. However, because it is a gas (at normal temperature and pressure) and not a liquid or solid, methane is difficult to transport from the areas that produce it to the areas that consume it. Converting methane to derivatives that are more easily transported, such as methanol, is an active area of research. Certain microorganisms can effect this selective oxidation using enzymes called methane monooxygenases.
Methane is a relatively potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential.[1] When averaged over 100 years each kg of CH4 warms the Earth 23 times as much as the same mass of CO2, however there is approximately 220 times as much CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere as methane.[2]
The Earth's crust contains huge amounts of methane. Large amounts of methane are produced anaerobically by methanogenesis. Other sources include mud volcanoes which are connected with deep geological faults.
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