Methane as a Greenhouse Gas | methane greenhouse gas
Methaneisamajorconstituentofnaturalgas,butitschemicalandphysicalcharacteristicsalsomakeitapowerfulgreenhousegasandworrisomecontributortoglobalclimatechange[1].MethaneAmethanemolecule,CH4,ismadeofacentralcarbonatomsurroundedbyfourhydrogens.Methaneisacolorlessgasusuallyformedinoneoftwoways:Biogenicmethaneisproducedbymicroorganismsbreakingdowncertaintypesofsugarsinconditionswhereoxygenisabsent.Thisbiologically-producedmethanecanbereleasedtotheatmosphereimmediatelyuponbeingproduced,oritcanbeaccu...
Methane is a major constituent of natural gas, but its chemical and physical characteristics also make it a powerful greenhouse gas and worrisome contributor to global climate change[1].
MethaneA methane molecule, CH4, is made of a central carbon atom surrounded by four hydrogens. Methane is a colorless gas usually formed in one of two ways:
Biogenic methane is produced by microorganisms breaking down certain types of sugars in conditions where oxygen is absent. This biologically-produced methane can be released to the atmosphere immediately upon being produced, or it can be accumulated in wet sediment only to be released later.Thermogenic methane was formed when organic matter was buried deeply under geological layers and over millions of years, and then broken down by pressure and high temperatures. This type of methane...