Chapter 10

Question 1

Paleoclimatology

Answer 1

Study of Earth’s past climates (paleo → ancient)

Question 2

Proxy methods

Answer 2

Using pieces of information found in the natural
environment to reconstruct historic climates.

Question 3

Isotope

Answer 3

variation of a particular atomic nuclei

Question 4

Stable oxygen isotopes

Answer 4

oxygen: 8 protons, 8 electrons, 8-10 neutrons.

Question 5

160

Answer 5

Light
Most common

Question 6

180

Answer 6

Heavy

Question 7

H2O

Answer 7

Contains isotopes

Question 8

Variations in isotopes cause

Answer 8

differences in the tendency to evaporate and condense

Question 9

If water contains “light” (16O)

Answer 9

evaporates more quickly than water containing the heavier than 180

Question 10

Atmospheric water tends to be enriched with

Answer 10

Light oxygen

Question 11

Oceans tend to be
enriched in

Answer 11

Heavy oxygen

Question 12

Sediment Cores

Answer 12

High 18O/16O value → cold period
Low 18O/16O value → warm period

Question 13

Ice Cores

Answer 13

Low 18O/16O ratios = Cold Period
High 18O/16O value = Warm Period

Question 14

Proxy indicators for climate

Answer 14

Tree rings
Speleothems

Question 15

Dendrochronology

Answer 15

Tree ring growth.

Question 16

Solar irradiance

Answer 16

Suns energy output
Can affect the climate
Sunspots

Question 16

Speleothems

Answer 16

CaCO3
Spikes from the roof and floor in caves.

Question 17

Milankovitch Cycles

Answer 17

Eccentricity
Precession
Obliquity

Question 18

Eccentricity

Answer 18

shape of orbit around sun
(100,000-yr cycle)

Question 19

Precession (or wobble)

Answer 19

resulting from
changes in the time of year when the Earth is
closest to the sun (26,000-yr cycle)

Question 20

Obliquity (or tile)

Answer 20

axis tilt; varies from 21.5 to
24.5 (41,000-yr cycle)

Question 21

Continental position and topography

Answer 21

Affect ocean currents
Snow-ice accumulation
Are connected to periods of increased volcanic eruptions and topographic uplift

Question 22

Ice-albedo Feedbacks

Answer 22

An example of a positive feedback system

Question 23

Ice-albedo Feedbacks warming

Answer 23

Warming reduces snow/ice cover, decreases polar albedo, and added insolation adsorption results in further warming

Question 24

Ice-albedo Feedbacks cooling

Answer 24

Cooling increases snow/ice cover, increases polar albedo, and reduced insolation absorbed results in further cooling

Question 25

Water-Vapor Feedbacks

Answer 25

Most abundant natural green house gas

Question 26

Permafrost-carbon Feedback

Answer 26

Warming melts permafrost, allowing further decomposition and releases of CO2 and CH4 further enhancing warming

Question 27

Climate change causes

Answer 27

Increase of temperature
Melting of ice
Rising sea level
Increased humidity

Question 28

N2O (nitrous oxide)

Answer 28

3rd most prevalent gas; residence time of
~120 years; fertilizer in agriculture