GROUP MEMBERS

1.VIVEK CHOUHAN ( ROLL NO. : 500220010042)

2.PRIYANSHU SAHA ( ROLL NO. : 500220010043)
3.SHANKHADEEP DAS ( ROLL NO. : 500220010044)
4.ANISHA ROY ( ROLL NO. : 500220020045)
5.ARINDAM ROY ( ROLL NO. : 500220010046)
6.RUPAYAN DIRGHANGI ( ROLL NO. : 500220010047)
 INTRODUCTION
Environment means anything that surround us. It can be living (biotic), non-living
(abiotic) things which includes physical, chemical and other natural forces. The
changing climate and its effect on all of us is becoming increasingly obvious. Physics
lies at the core of earth sciences. It is essential for understanding the deep structure
of earth and the natural phenomena that affects earth’s surface. In this article, we
discuss about the “ROLE OF PHYSICS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES” which
is concerned about the measurement and analysis of interactions between
environment and physics on those topics. It is the application of principle of physics
to problems in the natural and man-made environment and how it helps to overcome
the critical environmental situation.

ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY

All the physical surroundings on Earth are called the environment. The environment
includes everything living and nonliving. The nonliving part of the environment has
three main parts: the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the lithosphere. The part of
the environment where life happens is called the biosphere. The biosphere is made
up of many ecosystems. Changes in the environment therefore affect living things.
People make changes in the environment, too. Many of these changes are harmful
to living things. Around the world, human activities have resulted in Climate change.
People also have destroyed the habitats of many animals. This have a huge impact
on Biodiversity.
Biodiversity is the variation among living
organisms from different sources including
terrestrial, marine and desert ecosystems,
and the ecological complexes of which
they are a part. Biodiversity is the variety
of life on Earth. Climate change is
increasing biodiversity loss. Climate
means the average weather conditions in
an area over a long period of time—usually
30 years or longer. As the planet warms quickly, mostly due to human activity,
climate patterns in regions around the world will fluctuate. Ecosystems and
biodiversity will be forced to fluctuate along with the regional climate, and that could
harm many species. These climate change impacts are in part due to how we have
altered land use. Turning natural areas into cities or agricultural fields not only
diminishes biodiversity, but can make the situation worse by chopping down trees
and plants that help cool the planet. Changes in climate can also intensify droughts,
decrease water supply, threaten food security. [1]

CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change includes both global warming caused by human-induced emissions
of greenhouse gases and the resulting large-scale shifts in weather patterns. Human
activity is the main cause of climate change. People burn fossil fuels and convert
lands from forests to agriculture. Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide, a
greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide is the main cause of human-induced climate change.
There are many “natural” and “anthropogenic” (human-induced) factors that
contribute to climate change. Climate change has always happened on Earth, it is the
rapid rate and the magnitude of climate change occurring now that is of great concern
worldwide. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb heat radiation. Human
activity has increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere since the Industrial
Revolution, leading to more heat retention and an increase in surface temperatures.
Atmospheric aerosols alter climate by scattering and absorbing solar and infrared
radiation. Finally, land-use changes, such as deforestation have led to changes in the
amount of sunlight reflected from the ground back into space. [2]

• Impact of physics on climate change:

Weather and climate are driven by the absorption of solar radiation and the
subsequent re-distribution of that energy through radiative processes. The Earth’s
surface temperature is primarily determined by the balance between the absorption
and emission of radiation. The change in this radiative balance is measured in Watts
per square meter. Naturally occurring greenhouse gases, primarily water vapor and
carbon dioxide, block thermal radiation from the Earth’s surface and this effect
keeps the surface warmer than it should be. Human activities are causing an
enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect by increasing the atmospheric
concentrations of greenhouse gases. For example, the atmospheric concentration of
carbon dioxide has already risen by about 30% from its pre-industrial level and
methane concentrations are more than double their pre-industrial value. Further
substantial increases in carbon dioxide concentrations are inevitable, at least in the
near term, as world-wide use of fossil fuels continues to increase. Unlike other
greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide is not destroyed in the atmosphere but instead
cycles between the atmosphere, biosphere, and oceans. Because of this complicated
cycle carbon dioxide does not have a single atmospheric lifetime.
Science has come a long way with
predicting climate. Physics also
provides a basic for understanding the
dynamic interactions between the
atmosphere and the oceans and for the
study of long-term climate change.
Much of physics is the study of energy
and its transformation, and energy lies
at the center of important
environmental issues. Climate is shaped by how the energy of the Sun affects
movement of the atmosphere and oceans and how they in turn distribute energy
around the world. Most of the impact of humans on the environment revolves around
the need for energy production. The ocean-atmosphere system, environmental
monitoring and improvement, and energy production and the environment are three
areas where an understanding of the basic physics has played a central role. [3]
Nevertheless, the conclusion is that natural systems around the world are being
affected by regional climate changes, particularly temperature increases, and that
these temperature increases are very likely to be the result of anthropogenic
emissions of greenhouse gases. Probably the most important effect of greenhouse
gas emissions is in the oceans, which have become increasingly acidic as carbon
dioxide is absorbed by water to become carbonic acid.

• Effects of climate change:

Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment.
Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier and so many
more. With increasing global surface temperatures the possibility of more droughts
and increased intensity of storms will likely occur. As more water vapor is
evaporated into the atmosphere it becomes fuel for more powerful storms to
develop. More heat in the atmosphere and warmer ocean surface temperatures can
lead to increased wind speeds in tropical storms. Rising sea levels expose higher
locations not usually subjected to the power of the sea and to the erosive forces of
waves and currents. [4]

1.GREEN HOUSE EFFECT

The basic definition of green-house effect as given by Joseph fourier in 1824 is the
trapping of the sun's warmth in earth’s lower atmosphere (troposphere) , due to the
greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to
infrared radiation emitted from the earth’s surface.The problem we now face is that
human activities – particularly burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas),
agriculture and land clearing – are increasing the concentrations of greenhouse
gases. This is the enhanced greenhouse effect, which is contributing to warming of
the Earth.Without greenhouse effect, the earth would not be able to support life. But
if the greenhouse effect becomes too strong, the earth will be hot to support life.
Even a little to much of heat could destroy the full environment.without the gases
that surround the planet,heat would escape back into space, causing the earths
average temperature to be 60 degree colder. Green house effect is the way in which
heat is trapped close to the surface of earth by green house gases. From 1990, total
warming effect from green house gases added by humans to the earth’s atmosphere
increased by 45%. This increase in atmospheric concentration of green house gases
produces warming effect and the climate change occurs.[5]

THE MAJOR GREEN-HOUSE GASES:

1. Carbon dioxide(CO2)-74%
2. Methane(CH₄)-16%
3. Nitrous oxide(N₂O)-6%
4. F-gases-2%
5. Other gases-2%
▪ Process explanation:
Step 1: Solar radiation reaches the Earth's atmosphere - some of this is reflected
back into space.
Step 2: The rest of the sun's energy is absorbed by the land and the oceans, heating
the Earth.
Step 3: Heat radiates from Earth towards space.
Step 4: Some of this heat is trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, keeping
the Earth warm enough to sustain life.
Step 5: Human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and land clearing
are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
Step 6: This is trapping extra heat, and causing the Earth's temperature to rise.

▪ Negative effects of greenhouse gases:

▪ Global warming and climate change.
▪ Rise of sea level .
▪ Worsening health effects.
▪ Disruption of water cycle.
▪ Changing forest and natural areas.
▪ Challenges to agriculture and food supply.
▪ Breaking down the ozone layer.
▪ Solution of greenhouse effect:
➢ Alternate sources of energy are to be used
➢ Advanced and efficient technologies for reducing emissions from fossil
fuels
➢ Afforestation and reforestation on a large scale
➢ Water logging should be avoided
➢ Reduction of the use of CFC
➢ Use Scientific way for reducing CO2

2.AIR POLLUTION
 Air pollution refers to the release of pollutants into the air that are detrimental to
human health and the planet as a whole.Car emissions, chemicals from factories,
dust, pollen and mold spores may be suspended as particles. Ozone, a gas, is a
major part of air pollution in cities. When ozone forms air pollution, it's also
called smog. Some air pollutants are poisonous. Inhaling them can increase the
chance you'll have health problems. People with heart or lung disease, older
adults and children are at greater risk from air pollution. Air pollution isn't just
outside - the air inside buildings can also be polluted and affect your health.[6]

I. Types & causes of air pollution:

There are many types of Air pollution, some of them are - Carbon monoxide, Lead,
Ozone, Particular matter, Sulfer Dioxide.
The Burning of Fossil Fuels: Most of the air pollution takes place due to the
burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gasoline to produce energy for electricity or
transportation. The release of carbon monoxide in high level indicates how much
fossil fuel is burned. This also emits other toxic pollutants in the air. Inhaling air
induced with pollutants due to the burning of natural gas and fossil fuel reduces
heart’s ability to pump enough oxygen causing one to suffer respiratory illness.
Industrial Emission : Industrial activities emit several pollutants in the air that
affects the air quality more than we can even imagine. Particulate matter 2.5 and 10,
Nitrogen dioxide, Sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide are key pollutants that are
emitted from industries that use coal and wood as their primary energy source for
production of their goods. Industrial pollution effects associated with your health
can range from irritation in your eyes and throat to breathing issues, at times can
even lead to chronic illness.[7]

II. Impacts of physics on air pollution:

Making a Hole in the Ozone Layer: The hole in the ozone layer is caused by air
pollutants. Chemicals used as refrigerants, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
contain chlorine atoms. Releasing chlorine atoms into the atmosphere destroys
ozone. A single chlorine atom can destroy thousands of ozone molecules. The ozone
layer blocks harmful UVB radiation from the Sun- it protects us in a way that is
similar to putting sunscreen on your skin to prevent sunburn. The ozone hole puts
all living things at risk by increasing the amount of UVB that reaches the surface.
Exposure to UVB increases the risk of skin cancer in humans, restricts growth and
 development in plants, slows the development of fish and amphibians, and reduces
the number of phytoplankton in marine ecosystems. UVB also causes natural and
synthetic materials to breakdown at an accelerated rate.
Causing Acid Rain: Burning fossil fuels releases sulfur and nitrogen oxides into the
atmosphere. Acid rain forms when sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide mix with
water droplets in the atmosphere to make sulfuric acid and nitric acid. Winds can
carry these pollutants for thousands of miles, until they fall to the Earth's surface as
acid rain that damages the leaves of vegetation, increases the acidity of soils and
water, and is linked to over 500 deaths each year. Buildings and other structures are
also impacted by acid rain, which causes an estimated five billion dollars worth of
property damage each
year. Acid rain dissolves
mortar between
bricks, causes stone
foundations to become
unstable, and is destroying
ancient buildings and
statues carved from
marble or limestone.Riding a bike or walking instead of driving ,Taking a bus or
carpooling, Buying a car that has greater fuel efficiency,buying fewer things that are
manufactured using fossil fuels.[8]

III. Ways to reduce Air Pollution:

❖ Riding a bike or walking instead of driving, taking a bus or carpooling.
 ❖ Buying a car that has greater fuel efficiency, Using public transports.
❖ Recycle and reuse. Reduction of forest fires and smoking.
❖ Use of fans instead of Air Conditioner. Use filters for chimneys.
❖ All electric vehicles produce zero direct emissions, which specifically
helps improve air quality in urban areas.
❖ Factories have to switch from coal to natural gas fuel can dramatically
reduce emissions of mercury, particulates, greenhouse gasses and other
contaminants such as sulphur.

3.NOISE POLLUTION
Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the
propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life,
most of them harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is
mainly caused by machines, transport, and propagation systems. Poor urban
planning may give rise to noise disintegration or pollution, side-by-side industrial
and residential buildings can result in noise pollution in the residential areas. Some
of the main sources of noise in residential areas include loud music, transportation
(traffic, rail, airplanes, etc.), lawn care maintenance, construction, electrical
generators, explosions, and people.

▪ The level of noise deemed to be acceptable is

dependent upon:
• The type of environment: acceptable levels of surroundings noise are affected by
the type of activity. A library, for example, has different requirements to those on a
factory floor.
• Frequency structure: different noises contain different frequencies and some
frequencies are found to be more annoying than lower frequency rumbles.
• Duration: a short period of high level noise is less likely to annoy than a long
period. Different people have different hearing sensitivities, but average values can
be measured and provide a map of the sound that the human ear can detect. The
threshold of hearing is the weakest sound that the average human hearing can detect.
The threshold varies slightly with the individual, but it is remarkably low. There
is also high threshold, the threshold of pain, which is the strongest sound that the
human ear can tolerate. Absolute measurements of sound intensity can be expressed
in sound pressure, Pa, but such units do not correspond directly to the way in which
the human ear responds to sound levels. Since the human ear has a non-linear
response to the energy content of sound, a logarithmic scale is used to describe the
response of the ear. It is converted to sound level measured in decibels(dB)
L = 10 log(I/I0)
or, L = 20log(P/P0),
where, I0 = 10-12 Wm-2
and P0 = (2 x 10-5) Pa
are the values for the threshold of hearing, I and
P are the intensity and pressure of the sound
being measured. The faintest audible sound (at
1000 Hz) is rated as 0 dB. Normal speech is 50
dB, road traffic 70 dB and an aircraft engine at
close range is about 120 dB. The threat of noise
pollution needs to be taken seriously. For this,
the first step is to make people aware about
various disease caused by noise pollution. We
should focus on using low emitting machines and equipments.[9]

ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS
Within the atmospheric sciences, atmospheric physics is the application of physics
to the study of the atmosphere. In order to model weather system it employs elements
of scattering theory, wave propagation models and cloud physics which are highly
mathematical and related to physics. It has close links to meteorology and
climatology and also covers the design and construction of instruments for studying
the atmosphere and the interpretation of the data they provide, including remote
sensing instruments. A second area is the radiative balance of atmosphere as a whole
and the role of water vapour in particular in amplifying the green house effect due
to increasing concentration of gases such as CO2, CH4.[10]
 • Let us look at our atmosphere:
The earth’s atmosphere is a gaseous envelope, retained by gravity, surrounding the
earth. The density falls rapidly with height; 90% of the mass of the atmosphere is
contained within the first 20 km, 99.9% within the first
50 km. In particular, the atmosphere is divided into
regions characterized by their temperature. Each layer
is called a sphere and the boundary is between layers
is called a pause. The boundary is named from the two
layers. The layers are –
1. Troposphere(0-10 km)
2. Stratosphere(10 -50km)
3. Mesosphere(50 -85km)
4. Ionosphere( 100 -200km)
5. Thermosphere(200-500km)
6. Exosphere(500-1000km)
7. Magnetosphere( above 1000km)[11]
• Relation with Physics:
We know that in climbing mountains both pressure and temperature decreased
with increasing height. It can be shown that the pressure (in the troposphere)
decreases by the following expression:
P=P0·egh/RT,…………………………………………………….. (i)
where P0 is the atmospheric pressure at the surface (h = 0 m), and p the pressure at
a height h. Since the pressure falls exponentially with height,90 % of the mass of
the atmosphere is contained within the first 21 km,
and 99.9 % in the first 50 km. The pressure therefore
drops from 10⁵ Pa at the Earth’s surface to 10⁴ Pa at
20 km, and to 10² at 50 km. The temperature also falls
with altitude and it is called the laps rate (dT/dz).
EFFECT OF NON- RENEWABLE
ENERGY ON ENVIRONMENT
The continuous use of non-renewable resources has clear implications for our
health and wellbeing, both of which are intimately connected with the impacts of
non-renewable resources on our environment. Unsurprisingly, the use of non-
renewable sources of energy has a variety of harmful impacts on our environment
either due to the way they are extracted and processed, or in terms of how they are
used. Perhaps the most well-known impact of using non-renewable energy sources
is the emission of greenhouse gases, in particular carbon dioxide and methane,
which contribute to climate change. It is not just the air that we breathe which gets
polluted. Dangerous pollutants that are emitted into the air can take a part in the
water cycle. This is the case of acid rain which forms when sulphur and other
chemicals are introduced into the atmosphere from industrial processes.
Chemicals suspended in the air then turn the rain mildly acidic.[12]

RENEWABLE ENERGY & PHYSICS

Renewable energy is an energy that is produced
from natural processes and continuously
replenished. Few examples of renewable energy
are sunlight, water, wind, tides, geothermal heat,
and biomass. We can define renewable energy as
those energies which can never be depleted. The
importance of renewable energy is invaluable.
These types of energy sources are different from
fossil fuels, such as oil, coal, and natural gas.
Some examples of renewable energy sources are:

• Wind energy
• Solar energy
• Geothermal energy
• Hydropower
• Biomass energy
Types of renewable energy:
1. Solar Energy: The radiant light and heat energy from the sun is binded with
the use of solar collectors. These solar collectors are of various types such as
photovoltaics, concentrator photovoltaics, solar heating, (CSP) concentrated
solar power, artificial photosynthesis, and solar architecture. This collected
solar energy is then used to provide light, heat, and different other forms of
electricity.
2. Wind Energy: The energy we get from winds is known as wind energy. For
this, windmills have been used for hundreds of years to pump out water from
the ground. We use large tall wind turbines that allow winds to generate
electricity. The natural airflow on the surface of the earth is used to run the
wind turbines.
3. Hydroelectricity: According to statistics, hydroelectricity generated around
16.6% of the global energy resources and constituted about 70% of all the
renewable electricity. This energy is another alternative source of energy that
is generated by the construction of dams and reservoirs on the flowing water,
the kinetic energy from the flowing water is used to run the turbines which
generate electricity. Tidal power converts the energy of tides and Wave power

which captures the energy from the surface of the ocean waves for power
generation.[13]

CONCLUSION
Physics also provides a basis for understanding the dynamic interactions between
the atmosphere and the oceans and for the study of short-term weather and long-term
climate change. This understanding is essential to stewardship of the environment:
for addressing problems like urban air pollution and lake acidification and for
dealing with natural hazards such as floods and hurricanes. Much of physics is the
study of energy and its transformation, and energy lies at the heart of important
environmental issues. Climate is shaped by how the energy of the Sun affects
movement of the atmosphere and oceans and how they in turn distribute energy
around the world. Most of the impact of humans on the environment revolves around
the need for energy production.

REFERENCES
1. www.unep.org
2. en.wikipedia.org
3. climate.nasa.gov
4. scied.ucar.edu
5. https://www.epa.gov
6. https://www.nrdc.org
7. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/air-pollution-everything-you-need-know
8. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/sanjac-earthscience/chapter/reducing-air-
pollution/
9. https://www.britannica.com/science/air-pollution
10.https://sciencing.com/sources-cfcs-8405334.html
11.http://djelatnici.unizd.hr
12.http://en.m.wikipedia.org
13.www.edfenergy.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our special thanks of gratitude to our respected Parents
and all of our group members and respective teacher Dr. Sucharita Bhattacharya
who had encouraged and helped us entirely to complete this project . And we would
like to thank all the respected teachers and members of ASHU DEPT. ,GNIT, for
their continuous support and encouragement.