4.3 Climate change: our fault?

Question 1

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 1

Naturally occurring phenomenon, keeping the earth warm, for life to exist

Question 2

How much colder would it be without the greenhouse effect?

Answer 2

33

Question 3

What do the layer of greenhouse gases do?

Answer 3

• allow some heat to be reflected out of Earth’s atmosphere but some of the Sun’s infrared heat is trapped

Question 4

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Answer 4

Increased layer of greenhouse gases

Question 5

Which activities generate greenhouse gases and trap heat within the atmosphere

Answer 5

burning fossil fuels in industry, agriculture, transport, heating and deforestation

Question 6

How do fossil fuels create climate change

Answer 6

• when burned release Co2
• This is a greenhouse gas and it traps heat in the atmosphere
• Population and wealth increase leads to more transportation, building, heating of homes and manufacturing

Question 7

How does agriculture cause climate change?

Answer 7

• Methane is realeased from cattle during digestioon and rice fields
• Demand for food due to population increase
• Demand for meat due to increased wealth

Question 8

How does deforestation cause climate change

Answer 8

• Co2 not absorbed due to land being cleared for farming, logging and building roads

Question 9

How does burning coal impact climate change

Answer 9

• Burning coal (a fossil fuel) releases Co2 (greenhouse gas)
• Greenhouse gases build up as a layer of gases in the atmosphere trapping heat
• This increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere increases the layer of gases and more heat is trapped
• This leads the Earth warming up known as global warming