1.7 Greenhouse Gases & Climate Change

Question 1

What type of energy comes from the sun?

Answer 1

Short wavelength radiation

Question 2

What happens to most of the short wavelength radiation that comes from the sun?

Answer 2

Reemitted or reflected back into the atmosphere towards space

Question 3

When the suns radiation comes into the atmosphere of the Earth, what wavelength is the radiation when its re-emitted back into the atmosphere towards space?

Answer 3

Long wavelength

Question 4

What happens to most of the long wavelength radiation that is re-emitted back into the atmosphere?

Answer 4

It hits particles of gas which absorb the energy

Question 5

What happens after the particles of gas in the atmosphere absorb the suns energy?

Answer 5

After a short delay, they re-emit that energy in random directions. This means that some of the energy will be re-emitted back into space and some towards the earth. Most of the energy will collide with different gas particles before it can leave the atmosphere

Question 6

How is the earth kept at a warm and stable temperature?

Answer 6

As the suns energy comes in, some is re-emitted back into space however most stays in the atmosphere and gets absorbed by gas particles. These particles re-emit the energy and this process carries on and on

Question 7

What is meant by the term greenhouse gases?

Answer 7

These are the gases that are in the atmosphere which absorb the suns energy, and cause the greenhouse effect

Question 8

Give 2 examples of how we are increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere

Answer 8

• By burning loads of fossil fuels
• Chopping down loads of trees

Question 9

Give 2 examples of how we are increasing the amount of methane in our atmosphere

Answer 9

• Farm animals produce methane during digestion
• We produce huge amounts of waste which sometimes releases methane as its decomposed by microorganisms

Question 10

What are 2 consequences of global warming?

Answer 10

• Increase in global temperature could lead to increased melting of the polar ice caps- causing a further rise in seal levels, increased flooding in coastal areas and coastal erosion
• The frequency and service of storms may also increase, which can cause flooding on low land

Question 11

How are global warming and climate change different?

Answer 11

• Global warming refers to the overall increase in the Earth’s temperature
• Climate change is a consequence of global warming and refers to the effects on the climate, such as large-scale shifts in weather patterns

Question 12

What’s the difference between the climate and the weather?

Answer 12

• Weather refers to short term atmospheric conditions, like whether its raining or sunny on a particular day
• Climate describes the typical weather conditions in an entire region for a very long time