FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, TECHNOLOGY, APPLIED DESIGN AND FINE ART

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

BACHELOR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

BCE 4106: ASSIGNMENT 1

NAME: OBOTE INNOCENT OKELLO

REG NO: 2020/A/KCE/0003/G/F

DATE: 11/04/2024

QUESTION

“Since in mass balance, matter can not be destroyed or created”, how do you account for climate
change?
Understanding climate change within the context of mass balance in most cases reveals a complex
interplay between human activities and natural processes. While the conservation of mass balance
principle still holds, the rapid increase in greenhouse gases due to human activities disrupts the
Earth’s natural equilibrium leading to the overall imbalance in the climate system. Mitigation
efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation measures are being emphasized globally
to restore the balance and address climate change. Here are some ways in which climate change
occurs despite the principle.

Greenhouse Effect: While the greenhouse effect doesn't directly violate the conservation of
mass, it alters the energy balance of the Earth by trapping heat since it brings about the imbalance
distribution of mass (carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases) in the atmosphere
causing global warming.

Human Activities: Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, alter the balance of carbon
in the atmosphere by releasing carbon dioxide that was previously stored underground, thereby
increasing the mass of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This greatly affect the overall climate
and temperature of the Earth’s surface.

Temperature: Climate change especially global warming itself, where temperatures lead to
processes that release more greenhouse gases such as melting of permafrost releasing methane,
also alters the distribution of mass in the Earth system by releasing additional greenhouse gases.

Natural processes: Natural processes such as volcanic eruptions and variation in solar
radiation has also overtime caused climate change through emission of underground trapped
carbon in to the atmosphere in form of carbon. This has also contributed to the imbalance of mass
within the Earth’s system though this cannot solely explain the rapid increase in climate change
which is being caused by majorly human activities.

Deforestation: Deforestation affects the balance of carbon in the atmosphere by reducing the
mass of trees that can absorb carbon dioxide, leading to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide
gas content hence causing climate change.

Ocean Acidification: The increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse concentrations in
the atmosphere from various natural and artificial sources leads to change in ocean chemistry (due
to over absorption to near saturation) leading to reduced rate of absorption by the ocean. This

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creates a greater imbalance in carbon and greenhouse gases within the atmosphere thereby causing
climate change.

Altered Land Use: Changes in land use especially in urbanization and agricultural sector (use
of chemicals) also alters the Earth’s properties, thereby affecting the distribution of carbon and
other greenhouse elements in the Earth's system.

Mitigation and Adaptation: While the concept of mass balance holds true, the imbalance in
the Earth’s climate system requires mitigation efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and
adaptation measures to cope with the impacts of climate change. Negligence of this will worsen
the situation in the near future.

In conclusion, the interplay between human activities and natural processes drives climate change
by altering the distribution of mass within the Earth’s systems. Mitigation and adaptation strategies
are imperative to restore balance, and address and cope with climate change. By recognizing the
relationship between mass balance and climate change, measures that leads towards a more
sustainable and resilient future of planet Earth and its habitants can be derived.

REFERENCES

• United Nations. (2015). Paris Agreement. Accessible at https://unfcc.int/process-and-

meetings/the-paris-agreement/the-paris-agreement
• IPCC. (2014). Climate change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I,
II and III to Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Geneva, Switzerland. Accessible at: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/