Explanation Text : Greenhouse Effect | The Greenhouse effect is raised temperature at the planet's surface as result of heat energy

being trapped by gases in the atmosphere. Certain gases cause the atmosphere to act like the glass in a greenhouse. As a result, thetemperature of a planet's surface may be higher than it otherwise would beon Earth about 33 C (59F) higher. The main gases that produce the greenhouse effect on Earth are water vapour and carbon dioxide. Scientists suspect that an increased discharge of carbon dioxide from human activity (notably motor transport and industry) is contributing to global warming. Greenhouse gases are fairly transparent to the shortwavelength, visible and ultraviolet lightthat brings most of the Sun's energy, though about 25% is reflected by the atmosphere, and 25% is absorbed by it. About 5% is reflected from the Earth, which absorbs the rest. Some of this absorbed energy rises again in thermals or in the heat of evaporated moisture. The rest is reradiated as long wavelength infrared rays. The infrared radiation emitted by the Earth is partially transmitted straight back into space. A much greater amount is absorbed by the greenhouse gases, which are very efficient absorbers of the long infrared wavelengths. Some of the absorbed heat is reradiated into space, but a lot is radiated downwards to fuel global warming. Half the world's population lives on lowlying coastal areas, such as the Bay of Bengal which is particularly vulnerable to flooding. Global warming could cause the sea level to rise. A 2m (6ft) rise in sea level would inundate close to 20% of Bangladesh and require tens of millions to be evacuated. A larger rise of 5m (16ft) would drown close to half the country.
Explanation Text About How The Water Cycle Works / Hydrological Cycle Solar energy evaporates exposed water from seas, lakes, rivers, and wet soil; the majority of this evaporation takes place over the seas. Water is also released into the atmosphere by the plants through photosynthesis. During this process, known as evapotranspiration, water vapour rises into the atmosphere. Clouds form when air becomes saturated with water vapour. The two major types of cloud formation are stratified or layered grey clouds called stratus and billowing white or dark grey cloud called cumulus clouds. Precipitation as rain, or hail ensures that water returns to Earths surface in a fresh form. Some of this rain, however, falls into the seas and is not accessible to humans. When rain falls, it either washes down hill slopes or seeps underground; when snow and hail melts, this water may also sink into the ground. Rain fall also replenishes river water supplies, as does underground water. Snow fall may consolidate into glaciers and ice sheets which, when they melt, release their water into the ground, into stream or into the seas.

Explanation Text: Acid Rain Acid rain is rain that is highly acidic because of sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and other air pollutants dissolved in it. Normal rain is slightly acidic, with a pH of 6. Acid rain may have a pH value as low as 2.8. Acid rain can severely damage both plant and animal life. Certain lakes, for example, have lost all fish and plant life because of acid rain. Acid rain comes from sulphur in coal and oil. When they burn, they make sulphur dioxide (SO2). Most sulphur leaves factory chimneys as the gaseous sulphur dioxide (SO2) and most nitrogen is also emitted as one of the nitrogen oxides (NO or NO2), both of which are gases. The gases may be dry depositedabsorbed directly by the land, by lakes or by the surface vegetation. If they are in the atmosphere for any time, the gases will oxidise (gain an oxygen atom) and go into solution as acids. Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) and the nitrogen oxides will become nitric acid (HNO3). The acids usually dissolve in cloud droplets and may travel great distances before being precipitated as acid rain. Catalysts such as hydrogen peroxide, ozone and ammonium help promote the formation of acids in clouds. More ammonium (NH4) can be formed when some of the acids are partially neutralised by airborne ammonia (NH3). Acidification increases with the number of active hydrogen (H+) ions dissolved in acid. Hydrocarbons emitted by for example, car exhausts will react in sunlight with nitrogen oxides to produce ozone. Although it is invaluable in the atmosphere, low level ozone causes respiratory problems and also hastens the formation of acid rain. When acid rain falls on the ground it dissolves and liberates heavy metals and aluminium (Al). When it is washed into lakes, aluminium irritates the outer surfaces of many fish. As acid rain falls or drains into the lake the pH of the lake falls. Forests suffer the effect of acid rain through damage to leaves, through the loss of vital nutrients, and through the increased amounts of toxic metals liberated by acid, which damage roots and soil micro organisms. The Water Cycle There will never be any more freshwater on Earth than there is now. No new water is being made and water cant escape from the Earth. The water we use is recycled over and over again. The water cycle is the simplest natural cycle on Earth. Solar energy evaporates water from the ocean, lakes and rivers. Millions of litres of water rise into the atmosphere as an invisible gas - water vapour. This process is called evaporation. As the water vapour is pushed over the land by winds and rises over mountains, the water vapour cools and turns back into tiny water droplets, forming clouds. The droplets joining together is termed condensation. These droplets fall to earth as rain (precipitation). The rain runs into streams and rivers, which eventually flow into lakes or the sea and the cycle begins all over again.