Climate change

Question 1

If scientists measure record-high temperatures one year, is this evidence for global warming?

Answer 1

No.You need at least 30 years of data to determine if the climate is changing

Question 2

Name 3 factors that determine the climate of a region.

Answer 2

Latitude, elevation, and distance from the ocean

Question 3

How does latitude influence climate?

Answer 3

Latitude influences climate because of how far away you are from the poles. Closer to the equator, the warmer. Closer to the poles, the colder. Due to direct sunlight

Question 4

What factor is the best to use to help determine a region’s climate?

Answer 4

Latitude

Question 5

What happens to the range of temperatures of air masses as they move across a continent for a year?

Answer 5

The range increases.As an air mass moves across a continent, the temperature of the air mass changes

Question 6

What happens to temperature as air rises and gains altitude?

Answer 6

The temperature decreases

Question 7

Name 2 ways heat is distributed from the tropics to the polar zones.

Answer 7

Wind and ocean currents.

Question 8

At the Earth’s surface near the equator, heat from the Sun causes air to expand, become less dense and rise. What happens to this air as it continues to rise?

Answer 8

The air cools,can hold less moisture. Condensation occurs then precipitation occurs

Question 9

What is the latitude of Waterford, CT?

Answer 9

41 degrees north

Question 10

What are the prevailing winds in Waterford, CT?

Answer 10

Westerlies (Comes from the west)

Question 11

Name 3 greenhouse gasses

Answer 11

Carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor

Question 12

What 2 products are produced when hydrocarbons are combusted?

Answer 12

Water vapor and carbon dioxide

Question 13

What do we call a feedback loop where changes accelerate the change that is being measured?

Answer 13

Positive feedback loop

Question 14

If we have a hot or cold year, is that evidence that the climate is changing?

Answer 14

No, climate change is the change over 30 years

Question 15

Describe the Lee rain shadow

Answer 15

As the air moves up the mountain, it can hold less moisture causing condensation and precipitation. As the air moves down the mountain, the air warms and can hold more moisture and there is less precipitation

Question 16

2 processes that remove carbon from the atmosphere

Answer 16

(Any two of these works) Photosynthesis, fossil fuel formation, chemical weathering or ocean diffusion

Question 17

2 resivoirs where carbon can be stored

Answer 17

(Any two of these) Soils and rocks, vegitation and oceans, streams,fossil fuels

Question 18

2 ways carbon dioxide increases

Answer 18

(Any two of these) Volcanism, animal respiration,ocean diffusion,fossil fuel combustion, respiration

Question 19

What is the most important factor on Earth that allows it to support life?

Answer 19

Liquid water

Question 20

How do greenhouse gasses raise the average temperature of the Earth?

Answer 20

They allow light to pass through but prevent heat from escaping

Question 21

What does an increase in pH mean?

Answer 21

the carbon dioxide levels are increasing and the pH is dropping

Question 22

What will happen to the overall albedo of the Earth if total glacial ice on Earth decreases? How do you think this will impact future temperatures?

Answer 22

The overall albedo will decrease because less sunlight is being reflected by ice. Ice reflects a lot of sunlight. This would increase the temperature because less sunlight is going back into space

Question 23

What is a climate proxy? Why is it useful? Give an example.

Answer 23

Study of past climate. It’s useful to help show the past climate. Tree rings are an example of a climate proxy

Question 24

Describe what causes the seasons.

Answer 24

Earth’s orbit around the sun, the 23.5-degree axis tilt and the different amount of direct sunlight

Question 25

How would the seasons be different if the Earth was tilted at 33.5 degrees instead of 23.5 degrees?

Answer 25

The temperatures would be much warmer in the summer and much colder in the winter

Question 26

How do we describe the eccentricity of an orbit that is nearly circular?

Answer 26

Low eccentricity is nearly circular

Question 27

Eccentricity, axial tilt, and precession are all cycles that can influence climate. Who were they named after?

Answer 27

Milankovitch

Question 28

What evidence of past data can tree rings provide?

Answer 28

Past precipitation levels

Question 29

If you wanted to determine what the climate was like 10 million years ago, where could you look for evidence?

Answer 29

Sediment and ice cores.

Question 30

Fisher’s Island and Long Island were pushed into place by massive glaciers around 28,000 years ago. What were global temperatures like then compared to now?

Answer 30

It was much colder

Question 31

Note:

Answer 31

CHECK YOUR STUDY GUIDE, NOT EVERY QUESTION IS ON HERE BECAUSE THERE ARE GRAPHS. LOOK AT QUESTION 39 and OTHER QUETIONS WITH GRAPHS!!