Let's fill in the blanks based on the given data:
We have the following information for methane:
- Residence Time [tex]\( T \)[/tex] = 8 years
- Mass [tex]\( m \)[/tex] = [tex]\( 4.3 \times 10^{15} \)[/tex] grams
The formula for flow rate [tex]\( f \)[/tex] is:
[tex]\[ f = \frac{m}{T} \][/tex]
Given:
[tex]\[ m = 4.3 \times 10^{15} \text{ grams} \][/tex]
[tex]\[ T = 8 \text{ years} \][/tex]
The flow rate [tex]\( f \)[/tex] can be calculated as:
[tex]\[ f = \frac{4.3 \times 10^{15} \text{ grams}}{8 \text{ years}} \][/tex]
[tex]\[ f = 5.375 \times 10^{14} \text{ grams per year} \][/tex]
[tex]\[ f = 537500000000000.0 \text{ grams per year} \][/tex]
Hence, the flow rate of methane is [tex]\( \boxed{537500000000000.0} \)[/tex] grams per year.
Regarding the residence time and its effect on temperature:
- Methane has a shorter residence time than CO[tex]\(_2\)[/tex]; thus, the correct word to fill in is "shorter".
- Methane is a greenhouse gas that traps heat effectively, increasing the temperature of the reservoir.
Now we can complete Martha's report:
Landfill Methane
Humans produce a huge amount of waste every day. Landfills were designed to combat this large amount of waste by accumulating and disposing it.
Organic waste from landfills undergoes decomposition in the absence of oxygen, producing gases. Methane gas is a large percentage of the gases emitted from landfills.
If we consider a landfill a reservoir, the flow rate of methane is [tex]\( 537500000000000.0 \)[/tex] grams per year.
Methane has a [tex]\(\boxed{shorter}\)[/tex] residence time than CO[tex]\(_2\)[/tex], and it is a greenhouse gas that traps heat very effectively. Therefore, methane [tex]\(\boxed{increases}\)[/tex] the temperature of the reservoir.
