climate Flashcards
How does the earth’s rotation on its axis affect the earth’s climate?
- affects flow of ocean currents
- affects way wind blows
What is the Kyoto Protocol
Plan within UN for controlling GHG emissions
What is Conduction and Convection
- conduction is the transfer of heat by contact
- convection is the transfer of heat by motion
does warm water rise or fall in cold water?
warm water rises in cold water because it is less dense than cold water
name 3 most abundant gases in the atmosphere
78% N, 21% O2, 0%-4% water vapour
3 reasons why life on earth is not possible without the atmosphere
- no protection from the Sun’s radiation
- no protection from meteors
- no holding of oxygen
What is El Nino?
Climate pattern describing the warming of surface waters in eastern Pacific ocean
What is a solar cycle?
The solar cycle is a periodic 11-year change in the Sun’s activity. This could affect climate making it colder or warmer
How much CO2 is in the atmosphere now and how much was in the atmosphere at the beginning of industrialization
400ppm, 300ppm
what is a proxy record
preserved physical characteristics of past climate
what are two examples of proxy records
tree rings, ice cores
what info do ice cores give
temp, precipitation, amount of co2 in atmosphere, atmospheric conditions, volcanic activity and wind patterns
what is 1 advantage and 2 disadvantages of using tree rings as a proxy record
rings are well dated
-collection difficulties and geographic coverage
what are the 3 aspects of earths revolution
- eccentricity - obliquity - precession
why does the level of CO2 in the atmosphere fall in the summer and spring but rise in the winter and fall
plants take in more CO2 in summer and spring and they take in less CO2 in the fall and winter
what is the difference b/w weather and climate
weather: how atmosphere behaves in a location over a short period of time
climate: typical pattern of weather in a location over a long period of time
what natural factors influence climate
distance from equator land formations ocean + air currents altitude large bodies of water
the earth absorbs energy from the sun and re-emits it in the form of
infrared radiation
what are 3 types of action that government, industry and business can take to reduce ghg emissions and climate change
- install better insulation
- introduce carbon taxes
- ban fossil fuels
what are 2 possible or current effects of climate change
extreme weather: - forest fires - floods forest impacts: - forest fires - forest pests
what are 3 types of action individuals can take and why are they useful.
- drive less: would reduce your carbon footprint and reduce GHG emissions
- bike and/or walk: - would reduce GHG emissions
- drive an electric vehicle: would reduce GHG emissions
what is plate tectonics
the theory explaining structure of Earth’s crust
how does continental drift affect the size of land masses
plates pull apart and crash together, changing the size of land masses
trophosphere
contains most moisture, responsible for weather systems
