about global warming in the context of astronomy, in particular, the relation to comparative planetary science (comparative planetology is when you compare the properties of two or more planets to derive conclusions).
Paragraph 1, Introductory paragraph: Mention that the topic of the paper is to answer a very important question ‘What is the cause of global warming?’, and how we can use astronomy, in particular comparative planetology, to exemplify the answer to this question. Mention in your introductory paragraph that a large fraction of the population would incorrectly answer that global warming is due to the destruction of the ozone layer, which is a common misconception.
Connect the ideas of Paragraph 1 with the topic of section 8.3 of the book (link given in Week 9, Big Idea in Astronomy 7.7). Based on section 8.3 of the book, summarize the structure (layers) and chemical composition of Earth’s atmosphere.
Based on section 8.4 of the book (link given above), describe how Earth’s atmosphere has evolved from a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere to an oxygen-rich atmosphere.
Based on section 8.4 of the book, discuss the concept of the greenhouse effect, in particular, how the visible light of the Sun is transformed to infrared radiation and which molecules can effectively trap infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Discuss why the greenhouse effect is good for life on Earth.
Based on the idea of comparative planetology (comparing the properties of two or more planets to derive conclusions), discuss why Venus is a good example to demonstrate that a runaway greenhouse effect would result in inhospitable conditions to support life on a planet.
Describe Venus’ atmosphere and compare our atmosphere to the atmosphere of Venus. Your discussion must be based on material from the class, including section 10.3 of the book (link given in Week 8, Big Idea in Astronomy 7.5). In addition, describe how the runaway greenhouse effect on Venus has led to a surface temperature that is greater than the surface temperature of Mercury, even though Mercury is closer to the Sun.
Conclusion: discuss why comparative planetology is important to demonstrate the effect of COz in the atmosphere of planets, and in particular, in relation to the question ‘What is the cause of global warming?’