3.3 C: Geology = the Changing Earth 3.3 Explaining and Predicting Climate Change Flashcards
What is the definition of weather?
The state of the atmosphere in terms of variables such as temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, and humidity for a particular place at a particular time.
Weather is often what people check daily for immediate conditions.
What is the definition of climate?
The average of daily and seasonal weather events that occur in a region over a long time period.
Climate provides a broader perspective than weather, encompassing long-term trends.
True or False: Meteorologists can always make perfect weather predictions.
False.
Predictions are not always accurate, especially long-term forecasts.
What makes predicting changes in Earth’s climate challenging?
Earth’s climate system is complex.
This complexity complicates the reliability of forecasts.
What tools do atmospheric scientists use to improve weather forecasts?
Powerful weather-simulating computers.
These computers assist in modeling atmospheric conditions.
Fill in the blank: Weather is determined by variables such as temperature, cloud cover, ________, and humidity.
precipitation.
These variables are essential for understanding current weather conditions.
What is measured by a detector mounted on a satellite orbiting Earth?
Surface temperatures across the entire globe.
This technology allows for comprehensive temperature monitoring.
What does an average temperature measurement for a specific month, like April 2003, help to understand?
Monthly climate trends and patterns.
Averaging data over time helps in analyzing climatic shifts.
What story does Unit C narrate?
A story of changing landscapes and climates
This includes the diversity of organisms that have lived on Earth.
What types of organisms are mentioned in the environmental diversity?
Stromatolites, bizarre creatures in coral reefs, dinosaurs, large grazers, woolly giants
These organisms adapted to various environments over time.
What significant period follows the four tumultuous eras of survival and extinction?
The Holocene Epoch
This epoch marks the most recent part of Earth’s story.
When did the Holocene Epoch begin?
Approximately 10,000 years ago
It began after the last glaciation.
What major event occurred at the beginning of the Holocene Epoch?
The great melt following the last glaciation
This led to significant environmental changes.
Where were the oldest signs of human existence in North America found?
Bluefish Caves in the Yukon
These stone tools are approximately 16,000 years old.
What may scientists discover regarding human existence in North America?
Older evidence of humans
This indicates that human presence may date back further than currently known.
What geographical feature opened up a passage for early residents of North America?
The Laurentide Ice Sheet
Its melting created an ice-free corridor extending south through Alberta.
What traditional stories of First Peoples describe?
A world of water from which the Great Spirit created the land
What significant event occurred as the Laurentide Ice Sheet disintegrated?
Release of a great deal of water that filled enormous glacial lakes
What is the length of glacial Lake Edmonton?
150 km
How long ago did glacial Lake Edmonton submerge the Edmonton area?
12,000 years ago
What is the oldest archaeological evidence of humans living in North America?
16,000 years ago
Why is it important to understand the relationship between cause, correlation, and probability?
To evaluate the validity of theories concerning Earth’s climate
In the context of climate change, what will you apply concepts of cause, correlation, and probability to?
A small-scale weather event and a long-term global climate trend
Fill in the blank: The Laurentide Ice Sheet released a great deal of _______ as it completely disintegrated.
water
What traditional stories of First Peoples describe?
A world of water from which the Great Spirit created the land
What significant event occurred as the Laurentide Ice Sheet disintegrated?
Release of a great deal of water that filled enormous glacial lakes
What is the length of glacial Lake Edmonton?
150 km
How long ago did glacial Lake Edmonton submerge the Edmonton area?
12,000 years ago
What is the oldest archaeological evidence of humans living in North America?
16,000 years ago
Why is it important to understand the relationship between cause, correlation, and probability?
To evaluate the validity of theories concerning Earth’s climate
In the context of climate change, what will you apply concepts of cause, correlation, and probability to?
A small-scale weather event and a long-term global climate trend
Fill in the blank: The Laurentide Ice Sheet released a great deal of _______ as it completely disintegrated.
water
What epoch is currently being experienced?
Holocene
What geological period will Alberta experience its next glaciation within?
Next 100,000 years
What is the name of the period when Earth experienced repeated glaciations dating back to Snowball Earth?
Precambrian Era
What are the two types of changes in climate mentioned?
- Chaotic in nature
- Follow a pattern
What is the name of the period that follows several glaciations?
Quaternary Period
Fill in the blank: The current epoch, the Holocene, is just one time period of warming following one of several _______.
[glaciations]
True or False: The Holocene is the only epoch experienced in Earth’s climate history.
False
What will learners review before learning about theories concerning cold periods?
Global climate record during Earth’s history
What is the average global temperature in degrees Celsius?
15°C
What geological time period is known for the Cretaceous?
145 to 66 million years ago
What geological time period is known for the Jurassic?
201 to 145 million years ago
What geological time period is known for the Triassic?
252 to 201 million years ago
What is the time range of the Permian period?
299 to 252 million years ago
What geological time period is known for the Carboniferous?
359 to 299 million years ago
What geological time period is known for the Devonian?
419 to 359 million years ago
What geological time period is known for the Silurian?
443 to 419 million years ago
What geological time period is known for the Ordovician?
485 to 443 million years ago
What geological time period is known for the Cambrian?
541 to 485 million years ago
What is the time range of the Precambrian period?
4.6 billion to 541 million years ago
What are the sub-periods of the Quaternary?
Holocene and Pleistocene
Fill in the blank: The _______ period is known for the Tertiary.
Paleogene
What is the time range of the Tertiary period?
66 to 2.6 million years ago
True or False: The Carboniferous period comes after the Devonian period.
True
What is the time range of the Holocene epoch?
11,700 years ago to present
What is the time range of the Pleistocene epoch?
2.6 million to 11,700 years ago
Fill in the blank: The _______ period is known for the Mesozoic era.
Cretaceous
What are the three main periods of the Mesozoic era?
- Triassic
- Jurassic
- Cretaceous
What are the two main periods of the Cenozoic era?
- Tertiary
- Quaternary
Fill in the blank: The _______ period is known for the Paleozoic era.
Cambrian
What are powerful supercomputers used for?
Creating mathematical models
Supercomputers are essential in various fields for simulations and complex calculations.
Fill in the blank: Powerful supercomputers are used to create _______.
[mathematical models]
What is the hydrosphere?
All the water at or near Earth’s surface
The hydrosphere includes oceans, rivers, lakes, and even moisture in the atmosphere.
What do mathematical models created by supercomputers attempt to describe?
Earth’s climate
These models study links between solar radiation and Earth’s layers.
What is a key challenge in creating accurate climate models?
Numerous links and intricate interactions
The complexity of Earth’s systems makes it difficult for supercomputers to generate precise models.
What should one consider regarding the theories of glaciation?
Which combination of effects is most likely to play a significant role
It is more productive to think about multiple contributing factors rather than seeking a single explanation.
What appears to be random concerning glaciation periods?
The timing of long periods of repeated glaciations
This includes glaciations in the Precambrian Era, Jurassic Period, and Pleistocene Epoch.
What is the most probable cause of glaciation periods?
Plate tectonics
The random nature of plate tectonics may influence glaciation events.
What is one theory concerning the occurrence of cold snaps?
They occur when Earth’s tectonic plates are in certain positions
This theory suggests that large land masses must be near the poles for glaciations to happen.
What must form on land to cause glaciations?
Continental ice sheets
The presence of continental ice sheets is essential for the accumulation of snow and ice.
What effect does the accumulation of snow and ice have on the climate?
The forming ice sheet takes on a climate of its own
This climate is influenced by the ice’s reflective properties.
What is the impact of an ice sheet’s color on solar energy?
It reflects most solar energy back into space
The white color of ice contributes to a cooling effect on the planet.
Fill in the blank: The most powerful supercomputers are used to create mathematical models that attempt to describe _______.
Earth’s climate
What is the global conveyor?
The system of ocean currents that circulates warm water from the tropics
This system has both warming and cooling effects on different parts of the world.
How does the ocean function similarly to a refrigerator?
It uses convection currents to transport heat
Just like a refrigerant fluid circulates in a fridge, ocean currents pick up and release heat.
What effect does the global conveyor have on the North Atlantic Ocean?
Transfers heat from the warm tropics between Iceland and Scotland
This heat is further carried to Europe by prevailing winds.
Why are most European countries warmer than Canada despite being at similar latitudes?
Due to heat transported by the global conveyor
The prevailing winds play a significant role in this heat distribution.
What is the effect of the ocean current encircling Antarctica?
Reduces the amount of heat the continent can receive from the southern tropics
This contributes to Antarctica being the coldest place on Earth.
What historical event may be explained by changes in ocean current flow during the Pleistocene epoch?
The Pleistocene cold snap
Changes in ocean currents significantly affected global temperatures.
What geographical change occurred forty million years ago that impacted ocean currents around Antarctica?
Australia separated from Antarctica, creating the Indian Ocean
This separation allowed ocean currents to circulate around Antarctica.
What climatic formation did the cooling effect from ocean current changes encourage?
Formation of the Antarctic Ice Sheet
This led to the Pleistocene Glaciations.
Fill in the blank: The ocean acts as a _______ by transferring heat through convection currents.
heat pump
True or False: The global conveyor only has a warming effect on the planet.
False
It has both warming and cooling effects in different regions.
What is one way that old volcanic activity has impacted the Earth’s climate?
It may have contributed to long-term climate change
Volcanic activity has been linked to significant climate shifts over geological time scales.
Which period is associated with significant volcanic contributions to species extinction?
Permian Period
The Permian Period is known for the largest mass extinction event in Earth’s history.
What is an example of a short-term climate fluctuation caused by a volcanic eruption?
The temporary cooling effect caused by the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo
The eruption of Mount Pinatubo released a large amount of ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, leading to global temperature drops.
Fill in the blank: Volcanoes can contribute to _______ fluctuations in climate.
short-term
True or False: Volcanoes only affect climate on long-term scales.
False
Volcanoes can influence both long-term and short-term climate changes.
What is the Milankovitch Theory?
The correlation between changes in Earth’s orbit and the occurrence of glaciations
Named after Milutin Milankovitch, who first suggested this relationship.
What are the three ways Earth’s orbit varies according to Milutin Milankovitch?
- Shape of the orbit (eccentricity)
- Tilt of the axis of rotation
- Wobble of the axis of rotation
How do the variations in Earth’s orbit and rotation affect the planet?
They affect the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth’s polar regions.
What do ocean sediment cores show regarding Milankovitch Cycles?
They correlate quite well with the timing of the Pleistocene Glaciations.
True or False: Milankovitch Cycles are the cause of overall cold periods.
False
They control the timing of the glaciations, not the cold periods themselves.
Fill in the blank: The repeated glaciations during major cold periods seem to match changes in Earth’s _______.
orbit around the Sun and rotation on its axis.
What pattern does the intensity of solar radiation seem to follow?
The frequency of sunspots.
What happens to solar energy when there are more sunspots?
It increases.
What do most climatologists consider regarding variations in sunspots?
They have only a minor impact on climate.
What historical period is known as the Maunder Minimum?
1645 to 1715.
What climatic event occurred during the Maunder Minimum?
The Little Ice Age in Europe.
True or False: The Sun always shines with the same intensity.
False.
Fill in the blank: The Maunder Minimum is associated with a period of _______ sunspots.
very low.
What gases are present in the Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat?
Carbon dioxide and methane
These gases create a natural insulating effect.
What would happen to Earth without the natural greenhouse effect?
Earth would be much colder than even the coldest ice age.
What historical data shows variations in carbon dioxide levels over time?
Vostok ice-core data
This data indicates drastic changes in carbon dioxide levels.
What natural events can cause variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide?
- Volcanic activity
- Weathering of carbonate rocks
How do changes in carbon dioxide correlate with global temperature?
They appear to correlate with changes in the average global temperature over the past 160,000 years.
What are the Milankovitch Cycles?
Natural cycles that affect the Earth’s climate and correlate with carbon dioxide changes.
What has been observed in recent times regarding carbon dioxide concentration?
There has been an exponential increase in carbon dioxide concentration since the Industrial Revolution.
What is the main human activity contributing to increased carbon dioxide emissions?
Burning of fossil fuels.
What impact does the increase in carbon dioxide concentration have on Earth’s temperature?
It enhances Earth’s natural greenhouse effect, leading to significant increases in average global temperature.
What has been the trend in average global temperature over the last century?
There has been a significant increase in average global temperature.
What is the possibility related to climate change mentioned in the text?
There is a possibility that large climate change can be reversed.
Fill in the blank: The largest source of atmospheric carbon dioxide is _______.
burning of fossil fuels.
True or False: The increase in carbon dioxide emissions is entirely under human control.
True.
What do computer models predict regarding average global temperature?
They predict increases in average global temperature due to emissions from energy use.
Which countries are mentioned as having significant per capita carbon dioxide emissions?
- United States
- China
- India
- Russia
- Germany
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- Italy
- Ukraine
What is the main question posed about global warming’s effects?
Could global warming cause global cooling?
This question highlights the complex nature of Earth’s climate system.
What phenomenon is predicted to occur as Earth warms due to the enhanced greenhouse effect?
Melting of mountain glaciers and continental ice sheets
This includes the Greenland Ice Sheet, which has been shrinking over the past several decades.
What has been the impact of the melting Greenland Ice Sheet?
Releasing fresh water into the North Atlantic Ocean
This process could affect ocean currents and global climate patterns.
What could happen if enough fresh water is added to the North Atlantic?
It could slow down warm tropical currents
This could lead to significant changes in climate, including rapid cooling in certain regions.
What historical climate event is mentioned as a comparison for potential future cooling?
The most recent ice age
The analogy suggests that similar processes could lead to advancing ice sheets.
Fill in the blank: The complex nature of Earth’s climate system can lead to _______ effects from global warming.
cooling
True or False: Computer models predict that global warming will only lead to higher temperatures.
False
Some models predict that global warming could eventually cause cooling.
What is one of the variables in the complex projections of climate change?
The rate of melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet
This melting influences sea levels and ocean currents.
What is the relationship between global warming and the melting of ice sheets?
As global temperatures rise, ice sheets melt at an increasing rate
This process contributes to changes in ocean salinity and circulation.
What is the Holocene Epoch?
The Holocene Epoch is the final page in the story of Alberta, beginning approximately 10,000 years ago and still in progress.
Who are two key scientists that established foundational concepts in geology?
James Hutton and Charles Lyell.
What do scientists rely on to understand the past?
Processes observable in the present.
What must theories carry according to scientific principles?
The burden of evidence.
What do scientists hope to achieve by understanding past climate changes?
To predict future climate change.
True or False: Total certainty can be reached when predicting outcomes in complex systems like Earth.
False.
Fill in the blank: A lack of certainty should not prevent people from _______.
acting.
What challenges do scientists face when predicting climate change?
Many theories and processes combine in complicated ways.
