climate change

Question 1

How do ice cores show climate change?

Answer 1

Ice cores can be extracted by drilling into icesheets. Each year a new layer of ice freezes onto the top of an ice sheet. Examining the gases in each layer of ice can show us what the climate and temperature where like hundreds of years ago. Sometimes there are fossils/sediments that cane give scientists even more information.

Question 2

How is data from ice cores reliable?

Answer 2

It is cross matched with data from other sources like weather stations which have make it more accurate and reliable. They are also untampered with.

Question 3

What is the sea ice maximum?

Answer 3

Sea ice maximum is the maximum area in the Arctic covered in ice any year - occurs in winter and reaches maximum in Feburary/March

Question 4

What is the sea ice minimum?

Answer 4

Occurs in summer where the sea ice melts and reaches its minimum in September - minimum area in the Arctic covered in ice.

Question 5

How did scientiswts study sea ice posistions?

Answer 5

Using satellite photos.

Question 6

How is the expansion of ice evidence for climate change?

Answer 6

Areas covered by sea ice decreasing by 13.3% every 10 yrs since 1979

Question 7

How relaible is sea ice posistioning?

Answer 7

Quite reliable. It is based on accurate photos – but all the

evidence is relatively recent and only goes back to the 1970s

Question 8

How does global temperature data tell us about the past?

Answer 8

It uses weather stations all around the work to measure the temperature and track temperature changes. These can then be combined to give a global average.

Question 9

What does global temperature data tell us about climate change?

Answer 9

It tells us that Earth’s temperature is getting warmer. It also shows us that temperature increase is accelerating with 10 of the hottest years on record occurring since 2005.

Question 10

How reliable is global temperature data?

Answer 10

It is quite reliable. Temperature is measured accurately with modern instruments but this isn’t the case for older records. Equipment in 1900, for example, is not as accurate as today. Also, more measuring stations would make it even more reliable.

Question 11

How does painting and diaries tell us about the past?

Answer 11

Using diary entries from the past and paintings of past events allows an understanding of past climates. For example, there are paintings of the Thames frozen over from 1683.

Question 12

How do paintings and diaries tell us abour climate change?

Answer 12

Paintings and diary entries from the ‘Little Ice Age’ give us evidence that Earth’s temperature is warmer today than in the past.

Question 13

How reliable is paintings and diaries?

Answer 13

It is useful to gain an understanding of past climates where other evidence like temperature records do not exist. However, it is not very reliable as the evidence is quite subjective (based on one person’s interpretation). It also might be depicting one off weather events rather than long term climatic change.

Question 14

What is a sunspot?

Answer 14

Sunspots are dark spots on the Sun’s surface which means that the sun is releasing more energy than usual. Scientists believe that the warmer periods are related to an increase in sun spots eg. Medieval Period.

Question 15

Describe milankovitch cycles?

Answer 15

The earth’s orbit around the sun changes from circular to elliptical and back to circular over a period of 96000 years. When the Earth is closer to the sun, more of the Sun’s radiation will reacg the Earth, warming it.

Question 16

Describe how volcanic eruptions can affect climate?

Answer 16

When volcanoes erupt, they release huge amounts of dust containing ask, sulphur dioxide, Co2 and h2o vapour into the atmosphere. These particles reflect the sun’s radiation away from the Earth, cooling it down causing global dimming.

Question 17

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 17

The suns emit short wavelength infared radiation that enters the atmosphere and travels towards the Earth’s surface.
The earth absorbs some of the radiation but long wavelength radiation is reflected back into atmoshere.
Greenhouse gases can’t absorb the frequency of radiation emittted by the Sun but they can absorb the longer wavelength reflected radiation.
The gases reradiate this energy.
Temperature at Earth’s surface rises enough for life to exist.

Question 18

what is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Answer 18

Energy comes from Sun as short wave radiation.
Most energy passes through a layer of naturally occurring greenhouse gases in atmosphere.
Earth’s surface is warmed.
Some energy is reflected back out to space as long wave radiation.
Long wave radiation does not pass through greenhouse gases as easily as short wave radiation.
Some energy escapes back out to space.
The thicker layer of greenhouse gases absorb more energy + more is reflected back to Earth - more of sun’s energy is trapped.
Increases earth’s temperature causing climate change.

Question 19

How does farming contribute to the increase concentration of greenhouse gases?

Answer 19

The digestive systems of cows produce lots of methane, alongside rice paddies emitting a lot of methane gas. Deforestation to create more space for crops also means there are fewer trees removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to use in photosynthesis.

Question 20

How does transport contribute to the increase concentration of greenhouse gases?

Answer 20

Most modern modes of transport run on fossil fuels which release greenhouse gases when they burn. Increasing car owners in developing countries means more cars are on the roads burning fossil fuels.

Question 21

How does industry contribute to the increase concentration of greenhouse gases?

Answer 21

Cement production is an example of an industrial process that releases greenhouse gases:
- cement is made from limestone, which contains lots of carbon and so co2 is released when cement is made.

Decay of industrial waste in landfills produce methane.

Question 22

Explain an effect of climate change on environment ie. sea surface temperature increase.

Answer 22

Rising sea surface temperature are caus9ig bioleaching of sensitive corals - loss of biodiversity. Higher sea surface temperatures would also lead to more tropical storms as they would have more energy - with Hurricane Katrina causing an estimated $ 125bn of damage

Question 23

Explain an effect of climate change on environment ie. reduction of biodiveristy

Answer 23

The rate at which climate is changing is making rapid adaptation key. Evolution takes place over thousands/millions of year, evolving to a warmer earth cannot happen in 100 yrs. Species that are specially adapted to the habitats that are being destroyed and damaged by climate change are at an increased rate of extinction.

Question 24

Explain an effect of climate change on environment ie. melting ice

Answer 24

Melting ice causes sea levels to rise, which could flood coastal habitats and move the coastline inwards. This would forever lose the land and associated biodiversity. Most ice is stored in the ice sheets at the Arctic and Antarctica. Changes to the way sea ice changes throughout the year is already affecting survival of animals at both places.

Question 25

Explain an effect of climate change on environment ie. changing distribution of animals

Answer 25

Malaria carrying mosquitoes which don’t live in temperate climates may be able to inhabit more + more countries in the world. Possible that malaria and similar exotic diseases become an established part of life as far North as Uk.

Question 26

Explain an effect of climate change on environment ie. changing precipitation patterns

Answer 26

Global warming is affecting the amount of rainfall that areas receive and also the time of year they receive it.

Question 27

Explain an effect of climate change on environment ie. rising sea levels

Answer 27

Rising sea levels could lead to low lying coastal areas becoming inhabitable.
- will force migration, overcrowded living conditions, poverty and potentially wars.

Question 28

explain an effect of climate change on ppl eg. more extreme weather events

Answer 28

more extreme weather events not only directly threaten human lives but also has financial consequences - huricane katrina katrina costs $125 bn
the cost of predicting weather events and preventing them from doing damage will likely be large.

Question 29

explain an effect of climate change on ppl eg. lower crop yields

Answer 29

climate change may increase temperatures making it harder to grow crops in many countries
people may die from starvation/malnutrition because of this.

Question 30

explain an effect of climate chnage on water availability?

Answer 30

hotter temperatures may mean droughts are more common and also happen in new areas. changing precipitation may lead to more droughts.
there could be wars between countries trying to securely access to water sources and fertile farmland

Question 31

figures to remeber global warming temperatures , oceans warming and arcitc sea ice ?

Answer 31

global temperatures are rising eg. in 2015 the avg global temperature was 1 degrees above the global average temparute between 1850 - 1900
oceans warmed by 0.11 degrees per decade between 1971 + 2010
sea levels rose globally y about 14cm during 20th century
arctic sea ice covers 13% less of the sea each decade

Question 32

can elaborate on the impacts of climate change for the UK? eg. coastal flooding - environmental effect

Answer 32

about 30% of the UK population lives with 10 miles of the coast.
low lying areas particularly in east of england - london could experience serious flooding - affect business- generated 1/4 of UK gdp in 2018 (487bn)
coastal regions contains lots of manufacturing transport routes, power stations, oul and gas terminals, and agricultural land and £120bn worth of infrastructure is at risk
erosion of coastal areas will increase + more will need to be spent on coastal defences
coastal towns tend to have high numbers of elderly ppl - the least able to cope with flood events.

Question 33

Explain an effect of climate change on ppl eg. more deaths due to heat

Answer 33

More ppl are likely to die from heat exhaustion - but some ppl can be saved from freezing too.

Question 34

can elaborate on the impacts of climate change for the uk? eg. more extreme rainfall - environmental effect ?

Answer 34

the uk is likely to have more extreme rainfall especially in winter, increasing the chance of flooding from rivers. heavy downpours in particular can cause flash floods, which happens quickly + have devastating effects. River floodings also makes coastal flooding worse and puts even more properties at risk. currently damage caused by rivers and the sea flooding costs the uk about £1.3bn a year but this could increase up to £12bn a year by 2080
flooding in 2007 meants there was widespread damage to homes, businesses, transport networks - £3.2bn
water treatment was flooded leaving 135000 houses with water for 17 days.

the uk is likely to have more extreme rainfall especially in winter, increasing the chance of flooding from rivers. heavy downpours in particular can cause flash floods, which happens quickly + have devastating effects. River floodings also makes coastal flooding worse and puts even more properties at risk. currently damage caused by rivers and the sea flooding costs the uk about £1.3bn a year but this could increase up to £12bn a year by 2080
flooding in 2007 meants there was widespread damage to homes, businesses, transport networks - £3.2bn
water treatment was flooded leaving 135000 houses with water for 17 days.

Question 35

can elaborate on the impact of climate change for the uk - eg. water shortages - social effect ?

Answer 35

high temperatures, combined with less summer rain - water shortages particularly affecting london + south east of england - with over a 1/4 of the uks population living there - this is problematic
might be restrictions on water use, hosepipe bans, cuts to domestic water supplies. This would affect industry - eg. power stations need large quantities of water and may be forced to shut fown during. droughts. Farmers may face water shortages - making it difficult to grow crops , the uk would have then have to rely more on imported crops.

high temperatures, combined with less summer rain - water shortages particularly affecting london + south east of england - with over a 1/4 of the uks population living there - this is problematic
might be restrictions on water use, hosepipe bans, cuts to domestic water supplies. This would affect industry - eg. power stations need large quantities of water and may be forced to shut fown during. droughts. Farmers may face water shortages - making it difficult to grow crops , the uk would have then have to rely more on imported crops.

Question 36

can elaborate on the impacts of climate change for uk - benefits - better climate for tourism , farming ?

Answer 36

better weather means more ppl will take holidays in the uk
tourist season will be longer - so good for economy as ppl will spend more money on things like hotels, days out, ice creams , drinks and barbecue foods
better climate for farming
growing seasons longer - more food grown
opportunities for new food to be grown eg. melons, olives
english wine has also become a stable - 14 international trophies