Climate Change

Question 1

Fill in the blanks

Answer 1

1)fluctuates
2)inter-glacial
3)10,000
4)glacial
5)100,000
6)12,000
7)global warming

Question 2

What proof of climate change is there?

Answer 2

•ice cores
•tree rings
•shrinking glaciers
•rising sea levels

Question 3

How do ice cores act as evidence for climate change?

Answer 3

•Ice cores are a frozen record of past climate

•Within these layers the ice contains air bubbles which contain carbon dioxide and oxygen and scientists can use them to build up a picture of past climate.
•Data from ice cores matches other data so it is thought to be fairly reliable.
•Records can go back 800,000 years

Question 4

How do tree rings act as evidence for climate change?

Answer 4

•Many trees are sensitive to changes in temp, sunlight and precipitation (rainfall). The thickness the rings records climate: in warm years trees have wide rings and in colder years they have narrow rings.

• Records can go back 10,000years+
• The accuracy of tree rings is good, but it is local. It is difficult to determine the importance of each weather condition - temperature, precipitation, sunlight and wind

Question 5

How do shrinking glaciers act as evidence for climate change?

Answer 5

•Glaciers change in response to climate change - those in areas such as the Alps grow and shrink in response to the climate
•Evidence suggests that the majority of glaciers reached their
biggest in 1850- this matches with the Little Ice Age, and the colder temperatures in the 17th/18th century. Most glaciers have retreated (shrunk) since 1850.
• This is a fairly reliable method to use since 1880, when records
were reliable.

Question 6

How do rising sea levels act as evidence for climate chanage?

Answer 6

•According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) the average global sea level has risen
between 10 and 20 cm in the last 100 years.
• When temperatures rise and freshwater ice melts,more water flows to the sea from glaciers and ice caps.
• When ocean water warms it expands in volume -this is called thermal expansion.

Question 7

What is the enhanced green house effect?

Answer 7

the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that humans have released into the earths atmosphere

Question 8

what is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 8

a natural process that occurs when greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the Sun, warming the Earth’s surface

Question 9

why is the greenhouse effect important?

Answer 9

•the earth’s atmosphere allows most of the heat from the sun to pass straight through to warm the earth’s surface
•when earth reflects this heat back out to space some gases like carbon dioxide absorb this heat
•without this happening the earth would be too cold for humans to survive on

Question 10

where does carbon dioxide come from?

Answer 10

•burning fossil fuels
•deforestation
•care exauhnts

Question 11

where do nitrous oxides come from?

Answer 11

•risk farming
•in landfill compost tips
•risk farming
•farming live stock

Question 12

how do orbital changes cause natural climate change?

Answer 12

•the tilt of the axis of the earth changes between 21.5 degrees and 24.5 degrees. This means the sun is sometimes closer to earth causing temperatures to be higher
•the earth’s orbit around the earth varies from circular to elliptical (oval shaped). This is eccentricity. When it’s at it’s oval bit the earth’s temperature is cooler
•the earth has a natural wobble called a precession which takes about 26,000 years to complete

Question 13

How does solar activity effect the climate?

Answer 13

•the number of sunspots on the surface of the sun increases and decreases over a 10-11 year period this is a solar cycle
•when sunspot activity is at a maximum the sun gives off more heat
•when it’s at a minimum there a lower earth temperatures
•many believe the little ice age was caused by this

Question 14

how does volcanic activity effect climate?

Answer 14

•violent eruptions blast hot ash, gases and particles into the atmosphere which can block the sun reducing temperatures in the short term
•small droplets can also act like mirrors and reflect solar radiation from the sun in the long term
•when temperature is lowered it is called a volcanic winter

Question 15

how does burning fossil fuels release carbon?

Answer 15

carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels like coal, oil, natural gases and petrol are burnt e.g. in thermal power stations or cars

Question 16

how does cement production release carbon?

Answer 16

•it is made from limestone which contains carbon
•when cement is produced alot of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere

Question 17

how does farming release methane?

Answer 17

•farming livestock produces methane as cows release gases
•rice paddies emit methane as they are flooded feilds

Question 18

how does deforestation impact climate change?

Answer 18

•plants remove Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it to organic matter using photosynthesis
•when trees are cut down they stop absorbing carbon dioxide
•when trees are burnt as fuel for agricultural carbon dioxide is also released

Question 19

what are mitigation strategies?

Answer 19

strategies that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Question 20

what are some mitigation strategies?

Answer 20

•alternative energy sources
•carbon capture and storage
•planting trees
•international agreements

Question 21

how do planting trees help reduce gas emissions?

Answer 21

•they take in carbon dioxide by photosynthesis
•they release moisture into the atmosphere which acts as a cooling effect by producing more cloud, reducing incoming solar radiation

Question 22

how does alternative energy production reduce gas emissions?

Answer 22

renewable energy sources like solar, wind and tidal energy can be used as alternatives which do not emit carbon dioxide and will last in future

Question 23

how do international agreements help reduce gas emissions ?

Answer 23

•The Paris agreement aims to reduce gas emissions and limit global warming and has been signed by 195 parties encouraging them to develop mitigation strategies
•the 2005 Kyoto protocol became law in over 170 countries that agreed to reduce carbon emissions by an average of 5.2% below their 1990 levels by 2012

Question 24

How does carbon capture reduce gas emissions?

Answer 24

•this uses technology to capture carbon dioxide, compress it and transport it by pipeline to be injected underground as liquid
•This is then stored in old oil and gas fields undeground

Question 25

what are adaptation strategies?

Answer 25

•managing water supplies
•changing agriculture systems
•coping with rising seas levels

Question 26

How does coping with rising sea levels help people adjust to climate?

Answer 26

flood warnings are put in place and physical defences such as flood barriers are put in place

Question 27

how does managing water supplies help people adjust to the effects of climate change ?

Answer 27

•dry areas are predicted to get drier meaning people must manage water supplies
•rain water can be recycled and collected
•water metres can be installed to discourage excessive water use

Question 28

how does changing agriculture systems help people adjust to climate change?

Answer 28

•changing rainfall patterns will affect the productivity of farming
•farmers may have to plant new crops that are more suited to the new climate conditions in the area
•biotechnology can be used to create new varieties of crops that are more resistant to extreme watcher

Question 29

what is adaptation?

Answer 29

ways people adjust to the effects of climate change