Physics and Climate Change

The study of energy and matter, specifically their interactions, is the focus of the natural science discipline of physics. Physics is the study of how matter behaves in relation to its relative motion and interactions with energy and force across space and time, to put it another way. Since it has been studied and used for so long, physics is one of the most significant academic fields. Physics has a tight relationship with mathematics, biology, and chemistry, and it is occasionally combined with these sciences to aid in the accomplishment of diverse research goals. Whatever is happening in the universe can be studied through the concepts of physics discovered and developed by bright minds in order to have an in-depth understanding of the functionality of the universe.

Physics is always concerned with the behavior and interaction of the matter that sets everything in relative motion. For example, a physicist always asks why and how the sun keeps on shining every day. How was the universe formed? What is a matter made of and how the world would change in many years to come? These are the questions that motivate all those who study physics, to learn how things work, the reason behind how they work and if there is any chance they can be improved to work better and more comfortable.

Physics is applied in several human activities such as developing computer games, predicting and understanding earthquakes, manufacture, and design of advanced sports equipment, development and renovation of sustainable and better clean energy, diagnosing illness using techniques such as imaging and the treatment of disease, such as cancer. In almost every field of human practice there is a need to have an individual equipped with knowledge of physics (Santamouris, 2013). Also, physics is currently using computer programing to solve various complex situations facing humanity.

Present technological advancements offer a better understanding of the universe and thus, provide a rich stand for the contemporary Physicists are to reveal the secrets of the universe. Isaac Newton’s principles of gravity and calculus have unearthed some of the innate qualities regarding the functioning of the matter. Similarly, Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr’s outstanding work regarding ‘relativity’ and ‘atom’ offered an in-depth understanding of the creation. Their work is being utilized in every field, including environmental science, geology, geography, archeology, etc. to uncover more and more mysteries of the matter in order to achieve sustainability.

Climate change mostly studied under a broader subject environmental science, is related and affects many disciplines including physics. In context to Physics, climate change occurs due to unbalanced absorption of solar energy and disturbed redistribution of this energy through various natural processes, including advective, hydrological, and radiative processes. Such processes exist through multi-dimensional interactions of the matter and thus, any kind of disturbance in such processes would result in the disturbance in the climate and weather.

What determines the earth temperature is the balance between emission and absorption of radiation. When there is a change in the radiative balance, it is called forcing radiative and can be measured to see if the change is significant to cause alarm. Climate change is a physical process and physics could offer better solutions (Boeker & Grondelle, 2013). The threats of climate change are so real. It is a mystery for all physicists how to solve this problem since it is like a physicist to solve things that are causing harm. While being humans, there is the need to have a cleaner world where all physicist can practice their innovations without fear.

Another reason why climate change is concerned to physics is that physics, in the form of technological etiquettes, contributes to the highest emission of greenhouse gase such as carbon dioxide. Statistics show that the highest emission of greenhouse gases come from industrial actions with about 30 per cent increase in the emission of these cases since industrialization began. Greenhouses are found naturally, and there is a way these gases can be balanced and not cause any harm, but in excess, these gases cause the world to become warmer than it has ever been (Seinfeld & Pandis, 2016). The relation to physics is that these industries are results of physics. The machines that are in those industries, the chimney that emits greenhouse’s gases are all made with knowledge of physics. Therefore, it’s important for all physicists to remember that their actions with were initially to help people grow economically is now a threat to human nature. Hence it is up to them to come up with solutions as quickly as possible to avoid the menace of climate change.

Physics possesses a great potential to offer an efficient solution to the present severe climatic conditions. It can also help to recover from the effects caused by the change. Physics can be used to build efficient infrastructure and buildings and to minimize the usage of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are one of the major contributors to the emissions of greenhouse gases. If roads are made better, along with the introduction of environmentally friendly vehicles and other transportations, it would help to improve the present climatic situation by reducing the greenhouse gases (Santamouris, 2013).

Furthermore, physics can be used to augment geoengineering i.e., the manipulation of the world climate system. This technology can help reduce the amount of greenhouse’s gases in the air which cause most of the climate change we see.

Physicists understand the functioning of certain processes, including advective, hydrological, and radiative processes etc. that operate in the universe. Their in-depth knowledge could be used to start a cleansing process of the global environment. For instance, hydrological cycles can be initiated frequently to do some cleaning.

In conclusion, physics discipline is wide and is an important piece of science. It has been studied for many years, and physicists have been using it to solve various problems that face humanity. Climate change has an effect of physics since physics needs the world where they can practice without fear of the future. Although we may say that physics has contributed to the worsening of climate change condition in the world due to the evolution of industries but still it can be used in various ways to solve the problem of global warming.

References

Boeker, E., & Grondelle, R. (2013). Environmental physics: Sustainable energy and climate change. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley.

Santamouris, M. (Ed.). (2013). Energy and climate in the urban built environment. Routledge.

Seinfeld, J. H., & Pandis, S. N. (2016). Atmospheric chemistry and physics: from air pollution to climate change. John Wiley & Sons.