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Climate Change > Assignment 1 > Flashcards

Assignment 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is ‘climate’?

A

The average weather

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2
Q

What is the international standard for the averaging period of climate?

A

30 years

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3
Q

What is the difference between weather and climate?

A

Weather deals with the state of the atmosphere at a particular time. Climate deals with the average state of the atmosphere over some extended time period. It is a statistical measure and normally does not vary much.

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4
Q

What are the two most common measurements used to describe the climate and its geographic variation?

A

Temperature and precipitation

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5
Q

What is the Koeppen Climate map?

A

It depicts regions with similar climates.

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6
Q

What does it take to measure the climate?

A

Taking hourly or daily weather observations for many decades (at least 3) at many stations evenly distributed around the world.

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7
Q

What is a Stevenson screen?

A

A weather box that measures temperature, humidity, pressure and wind.

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8
Q

To what height do weather balloons profile?

A

The lowest 30km of the atmosphere twice a day around the world.

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9
Q

What are four different observations showing that climate change is happening right now?

A

Global annual mean surface air temperature

Global mean sea level

Arctic summer sea ice extent

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and ocean acidification

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10
Q

2015 was the warmest year ever recorded since what year?

A

1880

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11
Q

How much has the global average surface air temperature warmed in the last 100 years?

A

The global average surface air temperature has warmed about 1.0’C in the last 100 years

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12
Q

Effects of warming oceans and melting continental ice and snow lead to what?

A

Sea level change

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13
Q

Which month has the minimum arctic sea ice extent?

A

September

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14
Q

The late summer Arctic will be ice free in how many years?

A

50

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15
Q

as the amount of dissolved CO2 in the ocean increases, the ocean acidity…

A

increases.

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16
Q

Oceans make up 71% of the earth’s surface and are huge reservoirs of …

A

heat that impacts climate

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17
Q

Why doesn’t air fall down?

A

The decreasing air pressure with height creates an upward pressure force that balances the downward force of gravity.

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18
Q

Clouds, precipitation and weather occur in which atmospheric layer?

A

the troposphere

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19
Q

What are the constant gases in the earth’s atmosphere?

A 
Nitrogen (N2)
Oxygen (O2)
Argon(ar)
Neon
Helium
Hydrogen
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20
Q

What are the variable gases in the earth’s atmosphere?

A 
Water Vapour
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Carbon Monoxide (Co2)
Ozone (o3)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
21
Q

What is the composition of dry air?

A 
From greatest to least:
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Argon
Carbon Dioxide
Neon
...
22
Q

Why do we determine residence time?

A

To tell us how long a typical gas molecule resides in the atmosphere, or how long it takes an excess amount of that gas to be removed.

23
Q

Why is the concept of residence time important?

A

When estimating future climate change, we need to know how long it will take the extra anthropogenic carbon dioxide to be removed naturally from the atmosphere.

24
Q

What is the calculation for residence time?

A

Reservoir size/outflow rate

25
Q

Which atmospheric gas has the longest residence time?

A

Nitrogen

26
Q

Why is actual residence time of Carbon Dioxide different than the expected one?

A

Rapid photosynthesis

27
Q

What are the main greenhouse gases?

A 
Water Vapour
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Nitrous Oxide
Ozone
Chlorofluorocarbons
28
Q

Nitrogen sinks?

A

Nitrogen fixation: converts nitrogen gas into forms that organisms can use. Caused by bacterial action and lightning. Important for fertilizer production, but it creates nitrous oxide which is potent greenhouse as.

29
Q

Nitrogen sources?

A

Denitrification: Bacteria converts fixed nitrogen into N2 or Nitrous Oxide. N2O is eventually converted into N2 by photodisassociation but it takes over a hundred years on average.

30
Q

Oxygen sources?

A

Photosynthesis (plant growth): Uses sunlight to produce carbohydrates and oxygen

31
Q

Oxygen sinks?

A

Respiration (reverses photosynthesis)
carbohydrates and oxygen produce energy, CO2 and H2O. In the absence of oxygen anaerobic decomposition is performed.

Combustion; oxygen reacts with materials that are burning.

Oxidation: Oxygen reacts with certain minerals in the earth’s crust.

32
Q

Carbon Dioxide sources?

A

Respiration

Decomposition (of organic material)

Combustion (biomass and fossil fuel burning)

Volcanism (outgassing of Earth’s interior)

33
Q

Carbon Dioxide Sinks?

A

Land photosynthesis (Land sink due to plant growth)
Ocean physical and biological transfers (ocean sink)
Burial of organic carbon in the sea floor
Weathering of rocks (geological time scales)

34
Q

Water Vapour source and sinks?

A

Source: evaporation from the surface.

Sink: condensation and precipitation back to surface.

35
Q

Is water vapour a greenhouse gas?

A

It is a strong greenhouse gas. Enhances warming compared to increasing carbon dioxide along. (positive feedback for global warming)

36
Q

What is the earth’s ‘albedo’?

A

The amount of solar energy reflected back to space.

37
Q

Greenhouse gases are composed of how many atoms?

A

More than 2

38
Q

What happens when the vibrational frequency of a molecule matches the infrared radiation wave frequency?

A

the molecule is able to absorb and emit the infrared radiation. This makes it a greenhouse gas.

39
Q

The six main greenhouse gases are?

A 
Carbon Dioxide Co2
Methane CH4
Nitrous Oxide n2o
Water H2O
Ozone O3
Chloroflurocarbons
40
Q

Does ideal combustion ever happen?

A

No

41
Q

Where is most of the earth’s water?

A

The oceans

42
Q

What’s the average ocean depth?

A

3.7km

43
Q

Why are the oceans key in determining climate and climate change?

A

Because of their ability to store and transport huge amounts of energy.

44
Q

What is the thermocline layer of the ocean?

A

Where the ocean temperature decreases rapidly with depth.

45
Q

Why is the deep ocean cold?

A

Because of the source is the polar sea surface.

46
Q

Where is the salinity in the ocean highest?

A

Where the evaporation of ocaen water to the atmosphere is the highest.

47
Q

Where is the salinity lowest in the ocean?

A

Where the precipitation is greatest (more fresh water being addeD)

48
Q

How do we determine the sea surface density?

A

With temperature and salinity

Climate Change (6 decks)

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