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The Complete Guide to Energy Conservation for Smarties
By Susan Hartsfield MSN NP
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Did You Know? Earth has a Carbon Copy?
Venus is the twin sister to Earth in our solar system. Venus' orbit is actually quite similar to the Earth, with Venus orbiting only 20 percent closer to the sun than we do. Venus is also almost the same size and mass as our planet, and has the most similar chemical composition.
Twenty percent difference in distance might explain a temperature difference of a few tens of degrees, but hardly over 800 degrees! The answer lies in a phenomenon that's received plenty of media attention on Earth in the last few years: the greenhouse effect. Simply put, the greenhouse effect is the ability of an atmosphere to retain heat
Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system, with average temperatures around 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Interestingly, Venus is far hotter even than the planet Mercury, which is twice as close to the sun as Venus.
Pound-for-pound, Venus and Earth have about the same total amount of carbon dioxide. The difference lies in how the two planets put that gas to use. Venus stores its carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Earth stores its carbon dioxide deep in the center and below the surface crust.
Amazingly humanity has spent the last hundred years removing carbon from the Earth and placing into the atmosphere. Interestingly the planet temperature is on a constant slow rise and also similar is the acid rain has begun to fall. When in rains on Venus it is sulfuric acid.
Hmmm, one might want to stop the carbon extraction from the Earth in every way possible and as soon as possible.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0510/p25s02-stss.html
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