1.2 - Natural Causes of Climate Change. Flashcards
Definition of weather.
Is the state of the atmosphere at any given time.
Definition of climate.
Is the average weather conditions over a long period.
(at least 30 years).
Definition of glacial.
A period of time with lower average temperatures causing widespread glaciations.
(i.e. ice age).
Definition of interglacial.
A period of time between two glaciations with higher than average temperature.
Definition of Global warming.
A rise in average global temperatures.
Definition of Low pressure.
An area of warm, rising air that allows clouds to form. Often found near the equator.
Volcanic Eruption
Produce ash and sulfur dioxide gas. This creates a blanket of ash and gas which stops some sunlight reaching the earth surface. Instead, the sunlight is reflected off the ash and gas, back into space.
Therefore, lead to global cooling lowered as average global temperatures are eruption.
Asteroid collisions
Asteroids impacts can alter Earth’s climate, but they need to be big. 1km asteroid strike Earth every 50,000 years.
This would lead to global cooling, as the ash and dust block the incoming sunlight.
Ice Cores
Contains bubbles of gas from thousands of years which can be analyzed by experts.
Tree Rings
Count the tree’s age. If the tree is growing quicker or slower. Each ring represent one year. Says the climate. If was warmer or colder.
Diary/written records.
We can use these to read written accounts and observations of the climate.
Fossilized animals
We can understand certain animals survive in different conditions, some fossils of animals found in the UK tell us how the climate has change.
U-Shaped Valleys
Glaciers (large areas of moving ice) carve out valleys and leave signs showing they occurred even when gone.
