Volcanic Eruption in Iceland

The volcano Eyjafjallajokull, erupted and the smoke and debry is making air travel very difficult. A flight ban had been put in action to keep people safe. This year it erupted again but it hasn't been affecting air travel. Flights to and from the country should not be disturbed.

I think that its very good that air travel will not be erupted. I also think that they should still monitor the air so that if air travel becomes dangerous they will know. it says in the article that in the beginning the air was unsafe but now it is safe.

1.) List a few of the gases which lead to acid rain.
It comes from the gases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

2.) What is the source of much of the acid rain producing gases in Pennsylvania?
Mostly it comes from the local power plants.

3.) Briefly explain how acid rain forms.
Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the sky mix with water to form sulfuric acid and nitric acid. These acids, mixed with rainwater, fall to Earth as acid rain, snow or fog.

Guatemala

• What are some of the natural factors causing mudslides in Guatemala?
• Some of the natural factors are earthquakes, hurricanes and heavy rains that disrupt the mountains and soil.

• What are some of the human factors causing mudslides in Guatemala?
• A human factor is deforestation. The people there cut down trees for cropland and in doing that they are taking away their protection from the mud.

• What is being done to help reduce mudslides and mudslide damage?
• Anne Hallum has been getting the people in Guatemala to replant trees to protect them and their crops from mud for over twenty years.

Temperature

It is going up by years. The tick marks are 1860,1880,1900,1920,1940,1960,1980,2000. The vertical axis is showing the temperature difference. The total range is -o.6-1.o. The graph came from Met Office.

Questions and Answers

• 1 - What do you think the global average temperature is? This means the average for everywhere on Earth, day and night, for an entire year. Explain why you answered what you did.

I think that the average temperature would be 45 degrees. I think this because in some places it is below zero and in others it is above 100 so I think it would be around 45.

• 2 - People are often talking about "global warming." How much do you think the average global temperature has increased in the past 100 years? Do you think that this is a lot?

I think that it has increased 20 degrees. I think this because I know the Earth has been getting hotter very quickly.

• 3 - What do you think is the hottest the Earth has ever been? (since there has been an atmosphere?) How about the coldest the Earth has ever been? Explain why you answered what you did.

I think it has been over 10,000 degrees and below -200 degrees. I think this because when the earth was forming it was really hot and it was really cold during the Ice Age.

• 4 - Are you concerned about "global warming?" Why or why not?

I am concerned about global warming because to me it makes sense. When people have explained it to me or when I have seen people talking about it on TV I think that it is a good explanation for the Earth's increase in heat.

Gulf Oil Spill

I think that the people at foult for the oil spill is the oil company. They are at fault because they didn't make sure that everything was working correctly. The things used to shut off the tube didn't work so oil spilled out. The oil company are the ones that are supposed to check that everything works, so it was their fault that it didn't. Also, they shouldn't be digging that far into the earth. They chose a very poor location to do the drilling. That is why the oil company is at fault for the oil spill.

Forest or Grassland?

The rainfall affects whether the soil is grassland or forest soil. It affects it because in forest regions it rains hard enough to support forests. In grassland regions it rains enough to support grass. I think it rains more in forest regions because it needs to sustain bugger living things.