Chapter 14

Question 1

Climate

Answer 1

area’s long-term atmospheric conditions

Question 2

Weather

Answer 2

conditions over a period of hours/days

Question 3

Global climate change/climate change

Answer 3

changes in temperature/precipitation/frequency and intensity of storms across the world

Question 4

Global warming

Answer 4

increase in Earth’s average temperature, one aspect of climate change

Question 5

Which three factors have the most influence on Earth’s climate?

Answer 5

sun, atmosphere, oceans

Question 6

Greenhouse gases

Answer 6

atmospheric gases with three or more atoms that absorb infrared radiation given off the Earth’s surface then re-emit it down (e.g. water vapor, ozone, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, halocarbons)

Question 7

Greenhouse effect

Answer 7

re-warming of the lower atmosphere by the emitting of infrared energy by greenhouse gases

Question 8

Global warming potential

Answer 8

relative ability of greenhouse gas molecules to contribute to warming (expressed in relation to CO2)

Question 9

Anthropogenic

Answer 9

human-generated

Question 10

Aerosols

Answer 10

microscopic droplets that have a warming or cooling effect in the atmosphere, usually either by absorbing or reflecting solar energy

Question 11

Radiative forcing

Answer 11

amount of change in thermal energy a given factor exerts on Earth’s temperature (positive warms, negative cools)

Question 12

Milankovitch cycles

Answer 12

regular long-term cycles in which the Earth wobbles on its axis, varies its tilt, and experiences changes in its orbit shape

Question 13

Proxy indicators

Answer 13

types of indirect measurements that serve as substitutes for direct measurement

Question 14

Climate models

Answer 14

programs that combine knowledge of atmospheric circulation/ocean circulation/atmosphere/ocean interaction/feedback cycles to simulate climate dynamics

Question 15

Fifth Assessment Report

Answer 15

released by the IPCC in 2013 and 2014 to summarize trends in surface temperature, precipitation, snow and ice cover, sea levels, storm intensity, etc.

Question 16

How much have average surface temperatures risen in the last century?

Answer 16

1.1 degrees C

Question 17

Jet stream

Answer 17

high-altitude air current that blows west to east and curves north to south

Question 18

Atmospheric blocking pattern

Answer 18

north-south loops become longer as the jet stream slows (blocks eastward movement of weather patterns), causing weather patterns to be held in place for longer periods of time

Question 19

How would sea levels be affected by the melting of the West Arctic ice shelf?

Answer 19

rise three meters

Question 20

Permafrost

Answer 20

permanently frozen ground, which releases underground methane when melted

Question 21

How much have average sea levels risen in the last 135 years?

Answer 21

24.1 cm

Question 22

Storm surges

Answer 22

greater impact by localized sea level rises

Question 23

Ocean acidification

Answer 23

oceans absorb more CO2 as atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations rise

Question 24

Social cost of carbon

Answer 24

between $10 and $350 per ton

Question 25

Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change

Answer 25

concluded climate change would cost the world 5 to 20% of GDP by the year 2200

Question 26

Mitigation

Answer 26

alleviate/reduce severity of climate change by improving energy efficiency, switching to clean/renewable energy sources, preserving forests, recovering landfill gases, protecting soil quality

Question 27

Adaptation

Answer 27

strategies to cushion ourselves from climate change impacts

Question 28

Carbon footprint

Answer 28

amount of carbon we are responsible for emitting

Question 29

Carbon capture and storage

Answer 29

technologies/approaches that remove carbon dioxide from emissions and store it underground in reservoirs

Question 30

Carbon pricing

Answer 30

strategies designed to compensate the public for external costs of climate change resulting from greenhouse gas emissions (shifts costs to those responsible for emissions)

Question 31

Carbon tax

Answer 31

green tax on emission of carbon dioxide or carbon content of fossil fuels (often get passed directly to consumers)

Question 32

Fee-and-dividend

Answer 32

government transfers carbon tax into a tax refund, given to taxpayers

Question 33

Revenue-neutral carbon tax

Answer 33

tax with no net transfer of revenue from taxpayers to the government, like the fee-and-dividend approach

Question 34

Carbon cap-and-trade

Answer 34

system where industries and utilities compete to reduce emissions for financial gain (cap is lowered over time)

Question 35

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Answer 35

1992 convention using a voluntary approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which failed

Question 36

Kyoto Protocol

Answer 36

1997 document mandating signatory nations to reduce emissions of six greenhouse gases to levels below those of 1990 by 2008 to 2012 (only the U.S. did not ratify it)

Question 37

Carbon-neutrality

Answer 37

no net carbon is emitted

Question 38

Carbon offsets

Answer 38

voluntary payments paid by a producer unable to reduce its emissions and given to an institution that can

Question 39

Geoengineering

Answer 39

risky idea to take steps to directly alter climate by fertilizing phytoplankton to draw out carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, designing artificial trees to filter out carbon dioxide, and blocking sunlight from reaching Earth