1.4 - Anthropogenic Change Flashcards
Explain one way farming produces greenhouse gases.
Methane released from cattle in digestion as they burp it out.
Describe one way in which human activity is contributing to climate change.
Fossil fuels are released into the atmosphere and are contributing to greenhouse gases which in turn are increasing and slowly heating up the Earth’s average temperature.
Explain why the UK’s climate might change in the future.
Increased Greenhouse Gases
Trap more more heat is trapped
Long-wave radiation cannot escape,
meaning that the average temperature is increasing.
Name 2 greenhouse gases.
Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, CFC’s.
In the developed world how many tonnes of CO2 per person are produced?
10-25.
In the developing world how many tonnes of CO2 per person are produced?
1-3
How do greenhouse gases cause climate to change
Long-wave energy is unable to pass through greenhouse gases and are reflected back to Earth
Greenhouse gases act like a blanket around the Earth
They trap long-wave energy - it can’t pass through and are reflected back to Earth
This trapped heat causes the planet to warm up.
How does the greenhouse effect work?
The sun’s energy arrives as short-wave radiation
Short-wave rays are able to travel through greenhouse gases.
This energy is reflected off the Earth as long-wave radiation.
Long-wave energy is unable to pass through greenhouse gases and are reflected back to Earth
What is short-wave radiation?
Incoming solar radiation -
It’s absorbed by the Earth
What’s long-wave radiation?
Re-emitted by the Earth
Trapped by greenhouse gases
How does transport cause climate to change?
Travelling in petrol/diesel vehicles releases carbon dioxide
How does power generation cause climate to change?
The majority of power stations use fossil fuels, which release carbon dioxide when burnt, to generate electricity
How does deforestation cause climate to change?
Trees absorb carbon dioxide and therefore cutting down trees prevents future carbon from being locked away
OR: Felled logs are often burnt to make way for farming adding further CO2 into the atmosphere
How do large cattle herds cause climate to change?
Grazing cattle produce large amounts of methane when digesting food.
Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.
How does the expansion of rice farming cause climate to change?
Organic matter decomposing in flooded paddy fields results in the release of methane.
