Carbon Lesson 6: Human Inference

Question 1

What % of short wave radiation is reflected by clouds, aerosols and gases in the atmosphere and by the land surface?

Answer 1

31%

Question 2

What % of short wave radiation is absorbed, particularly by the oceans?

Answer 2

69%

Question 3

What temperature does the natural greenhouse effect gives us?

Answer 3

15 degrees

Question 4

What would the average global temperature be without the natural greenhouse effect?

Answer 4

-6 degrees

Question 5

What happens to long wave radiation in the Earth’s atmosphere?

Answer 5

When long wave radiation is reflected back, a large amount is re-radiated back to Earth by clouds and GHGs, which trap the long wave radiation in our atmosphere

Question 6

What geological time period are we in?

Answer 6

Holocene

Question 7

What is this time period also known as now? Why?

Answer 7

Anthropocene
Profound changes by humans

Question 8

What % has CO2 increased in the atmosphere in the last 300 years?

Answer 8

40%

Question 9

How has industry increased GHGs in the atmosphere?

Answer 9

Combustion of fossil fuels

Question 10

How has transport increased GHGs in the atmosphere?

Answer 10

CO2 emissions

Question 11

How has agriculture increased GHGs in the atmosphere?

Answer 11

Livestock – methane
Deforestation – farm land
Loss of soil carbon from ploughing

Question 12

How has electricity generation increased GHGs in the atmosphere?

Answer 12

Increased demand due to rising population
Greater extraction of fuels

Question 13

How does cement production increase GHGs in the atosphere?

Answer 13

Most consumed product in the world after water
Chemical processes involved in production release a substantial amount of carbon dioxide

Question 14

What % of global carbon emissions come from cement production?

Answer 14

6%

Question 15

How had wetland/peatland loss increased GHGs in the atosphere?

Answer 15

The nature of wetlands is shaped by water and rainfall patterns – the unpredictable change due to climate change may result in wetlands drying out.
Peatlands store large amounts of carbon - twice as much as all of the world’s forest biomass combined

Question 16

How much carbon do peatlands store?

Answer 16

550 Gt of carbon

Question 17

How much of the Earth’s surface does peatland cover?

Answer 17

3%

Question 18

What is the effect of differing angles of the Sun’s rays?

Answer 18

Makes solar insolation intense at the equator but dispersed over a wider area at the poles

Question 19

How does solar insolation influence temperature?

Answer 19

Amount of solar insolation reaching the Earth’s surface varies at different locations which in turn influences temperature

Question 20

How does the Albedo effect influence temperature?

Answer 20

Lighter surfaces reflect more solar radiation, whilst darker surfaces absorb more. The more radiation absorbed the greater temps are

Question 21

What other characteristics can affect temperature?

Answer 21

Ocean currents
Pressure cells

Question 22

Where does rainfall occur all year round? Why?

Answer 22

The Equator
Because solar radiation is most intense at the equator, low pressure systems dominate there

Question 23

What causes regional and seasonal variations in precipitation?

Answer 23

The effects of relief, pressure patterns and wind systems