4.3 bio Flashcards
Greenhouse effect
The greenhouse effect is the process through which heat is trapped near Earth’s surface by substances known as ‘greenhouse gases.’
Greenhouse gasses
a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation, e.g., carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons.
Positive feedback loop
A positive feedback loop occurs in nature when the product of a reaction leads to an increase in that reaction.
negative feedback loop
Negative feedback occurs when some function of the output is fed back in a manner that tends to reduce the fluctuations in the output, whether caused by changes in the input or by other disturbances.
What do greenhouse gasses do
Greenhouse gasses absorb sun’s heat that radiates from earth’s surface, trap it into the atmosphere and prevent it from escaping into space
Why the greenhouse effect is important
It is what keeps our planet at a suitable temperature for life
How humans have affected the greenhouse effect
- burning fossil fuels
- cutting down forests
- farming livestock
What ice cores tell us about the patterns of CO2 and temperature for the past 800,000 years
They tell us how the CO2 and temps have fluctuated by the density, thickness, and color of the layers.
Negative vs Positive feedback loops
Positive- when the product of a reaction leads to an increase in that reaction
AMPLIFY
Negative- When some function of the output is fed back in a way that tends to reduce the fluctuations in the output.
REDUCE
