Changing Climate

Question 1

Definition of Ice age

Answer 1

A period of time when Earth has permanent ice sheets

Question 2

Definition of Quaternary

Answer 2

The time period in the Earth’s history that began about 2.6 million years ago and continues today , includes the Pleistocene epoch and the Holocene epoch.

Question 3

Definition of Pleistocene

Answer 3

Relating to or denoting the first epoch of the Quaternary period, between the Pliocene and Holocene epochs

Question 4

Definition of Holocene

Answer 4

Relating to or denoting the present epoch, which is the second epoch in the Quaternary period and followed the Pleistocene

Question 5

Definition of Glacial period

Answer 5

A colder period in Earth’s history with ice advance

Question 6

Definition of Inter glacial period

Answer 6

A warmer period in Earth’s history with ice retreat

Question 7

How old is the ice that scientists can study?

Answer 7

800,000 years ago

Question 8

What do lighter layers of snow show? Dark snow?

Answer 8

Snow laid down in summer and Dark Snow show winter snow

Question 9

What are the two types of oxygen that scientists are looking for?

Answer 9

Oxygen-16 and Oxygen-18

Question 10

Which type suggests it was warmer? Colder?

Answer 10

Lots of Oxygen-16 means the Earth was colder and Oxygen-18 means it was hotter

Question 11

What does large amounts of carbon dioxide in the ice suggest about Earth’s temperature?

Answer 11

Lots of carbon dioxide suggest the climate was hot

Question 12

How do we know that this data is reliable?

Answer 12

Because the data from the ice which dates back to the 1950s matches the actual data taken during that time period.

Question 13

How is sea ice measured?

Answer 13

Satellite photos and submarine radar

Question 14

What is meant by sea ice maximum/minimum?

Answer 14

Sea ice maximum is the maximum area that ice covers in the arctic over a year. The ice minimum is the minimum area that ice covers in the arctic over a year

Question 15

How much smaller has the area covered by sea ice become since 1979?

Answer 15

13.3% smaller every 10 years

Question 16

Reliability?

Answer 16

It is modern technology so it is very reliable

Question 17

What can paintings and diaries tell us about climate change?

Answer 17

What was going on and how the climate was.

Question 18

How reliable is this data?

Answer 18

It is not that reliable

Question 19

What are the greenhouse gases

Answer 19

Carbon dioxide
Methane
Halocarbons
Nitrous oxide

Question 20

Source of Carbon dioxide

Answer 20

Burning fossil fuels (coal, gas) to make electricity. Industry, cars, deforestation

Question 21

Source of methane

Answer 21

Landfill sites, rice production and farm animals

Question 22

Source of Halocarbons

Answer 22

Air-conditioning, refrigerators, aerosols and foam packaging

Question 23

Source of Nitrous oxide

Answer 23

Agricultural fertilisers and car exhausts

Question 24

What are Sun spots

Answer 24

They are dark spots on the Sun’s surface

Question 25

What causes sun spots

Answer 25

Caused by magnetic storms

Question 26

What do sun spots do to earths temperature

Answer 26

Temporarily increase it

Question 27

How long are the sun spot cycles

Answer 27

11 years

Question 28

What events are sun spots linked to

Answer 28

Little ice age

Question 29

How do eruptions change earths climate

Answer 29

The sulfur dioxide reacts with water in the atmosphere which reflects a lot of energy from the sun making the earth cooler. With the earth being cooler, less evaporation happens meaning less rain.

Question 30

What are Milankovitch’s three ideas?

Answer 30

Precession, Tilt and Eccentricity

Question 31

What is Eccentricity

Answer 31

100,000 - 24,000 years | When the Earth is further away the Earth is really cold but then it gets much closer so the climate gets hotter.

Question 32

What is Precession

Answer 32

19-24,000 years | Changes the severity of the seasons and which hemisphere is closer to the sun.

Question 33

What is tilt

Answer 33

41,000 years | Makes the summers colder and the winters not as cold.

Question 34

Why is the sea rising

Answer 34

Polar ice sheets are melting, the antarctic ice sheets especially as it is not sea ice. The water is expanding because of the heat - Thermal expansion Melting glaciers

Question 35

Why is sea level rise an issue

Answer 35

Because lots of land around the globe will flood permanently, which reduces the land area on the Earth and could destroy major cities like London and New York. 50% of world's population live within 60km of the coast Some of the fastest growing cities are coastal, so the proportion of the world’s population living on the coast is increasing

Question 36

How is weather more extreme

Answer 36

More frequent More rain during storms Tropical storms are becoming more intense in some areas They are resulting in higher levels of precipitation Droughts are becoming more severe and are lasting longer

Question 37

Why is the weather more extreme

Answer 37

Warmer sea temperatures fuel tropical storms Warmer air can hold more water vapour Intense storms can have knock on effects and disrupt global weather patterns

Question 38

Lake Chad

Answer 38

Shrunk by over 80% Lake may dry out Many people are joining terrorist groups so that they can get food and water Very close to famine - very limited amount of food Lack of security of income

Question 39

Results of more extreme weather

Answer 39

``` People starve Vietnam exports less rice Drought is more common The price of rice increases The London Eye is temporarily closed People are forced to move The ocean becomes more acidic Extreme rainfall floods crop Coastal towns are flooded ```

Question 40

How will climate change affect the UK Economically

Answer 40

Tourism - Brings in money from tourists Agriculture - Allows the UK to grow other crops which couldn't have been grown before Flooding - Can cause lots damage to infrastructure Transport Food prices

Question 41

How will climate change affect the UK Environmentally

Answer 41

Water contamination | Species and habitats

Question 42

How will climate change affect the UK Socially

Answer 42

Cold related deaths - It is less likely to happen NHS - puts stress on them Water security - Drinkable water is hard to find Environmental refugees - happens because the climate becomes too hard to live in