Chapter 19 Vocab

Question 1

Acid Rain

Answer 1

Precipitation in which air pollutants react with water to make a weak acid that then falls from the sky.

Question 2

Albedo

Answer 2

The reflectivity of a surface.

Question 3

Biogeochemical Cycle

Answer 3

The exchange of chemicals between living and nonliving reservoirs in the Earth System.

Question 4

Carbon Sequestration

Answer 4

The process of extracting carbon dioxide from sources (e.g., power plants) and sending it back underground to keep it out of the atmosphere and diminish the greenhouse effect.

Question 5

Climate

Answer 5

The average weather conditions, along with the range of conditions, of a region over a year.

Question 6

Ecosystem

Answer 6

An environment and its inhabitants.

Question 7

Feedback Mechanism

Answer 7

A condition that arises when the consequence of a phenomenon influences the phenomenon itself.

Question 8

General Circulation Model

Answer 8

A numerical calculation that simulates the flow of the atmosphere and resulting phenomena, due to changes in atmospheric temperature and other parameters.

Question 9

Global Change

Answer 9

The transformations or modifications of both physical and biological components of the Earth System through time.

Question 10

Global Climate Change

Answer 10

Transformations or modifications in Earth’s climate over time.

Question 11

Global Cooling

Answer 11

A fall in the average atmospheric temperature.

Question 12

Global Warming

Answer 12

A rise in the average atmospheric temperature.

Question 13

Greenhouse Effect

Answer 13

The trapping of heat in the Earth’s atmosphere by carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which absorb infrared radiation; somewhat analogous to the effect of glass in a greenhouse.

Question 14

Greenhouse Gas

Answer 14

Atmospheric gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, that regulate the Earth’s atmospheric temperature by absorbing infrared radiation.

Question 15

Greenhouse (hothouse) period

Answer 15

Relatively warm global climate leading to the rising of sea level for an interval of geologic time.

Question 16

Icehouse Period

Answer 16

A period of time when the Earth’s temperature was cooler than it is today and ice ages could occur.

Question 17

Mass - Extinction

Answer 17

A time when vast numbers of species abruptly vanish.

Question 18

Ozon Hole

Answer 18

An area of the atmosphere, over polar regions, from which ozone has been depleted.

Question 19

Paleoclimate

Answer 19

The past climate of the Earth.

Question 20

Supercontinent Cycle

Answer 20

The process of change during which supercontinents develop and later break apart, forming pieces that may merge once again in geologic time to make yet another supercontinent.