Climate Change

Question 1

What is the Anthropocene?

Answer 1

The Anthropocene is sometimes used to simply describe the time during which humans have had a substantial impact on our planet. Whether or not we are in a new geological age, we are part of a complex, global system and the evidence of our impact on it has become clear.

Question 2

What 2 pieces of evidence support the idea of the Anthropocene?

Answer 2

• there must be evidence of long-term changes to the earth as a global system e.g big changes occurring all over the planet at the same time
• there must be a ‘marker’ of this event that can be identified and dated from digging down into rocks, ocean floor sediment or glacial ice.

Question 3

What is the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 3

The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect is when the earths surface heats up and emits long wave IR. Human activity increases the concentration of the GG in the atmosphere, thickening the blanket. More of the outgoing IR is absorbed by GG and is trapped in the atmosphere. Shortwave IR from the sun passes through the earths atmosphere. Because more energy enters the atmosphere than leaves, the planet heats up. Less of the IR escapes to space.

Question 4

Name 2 causes of natural climate change:

Answer 4

• the shape of the earths orbit
• the angle of the earths tilt
  These affect how much solar energy we receive.

Question 5

What’s the global average surface temperature?

Answer 5

15 C

Question 6

What was the global average surface temperature 20,000 years ago?

Answer 6

8 C

Question 7

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 7

The greenhouse effect is when shortwave radiation from the sun passes through the earths atmosphere and some of this IR is absorbed by greenhouse gases and stays in the atmosphere, stopping the earth from getting too cold. When incoming and outgoing radiation are in balance, the earths temperature remains stable. The earths surface then heats up and emits long wave IR and some of this IR escapes into space, helping the earth to cool down.

Question 8

What are four major greenhouse gases?

Answer 8

• Carbon dioxide
• Fluorogases
• Methane
• Nitrous Oxide

Question 9

What are the percentage contributions to the greenhouse gas emissions for each gas?

Answer 9

CO2: 75%
Fluorogases: 2%
Methane: 6%
Nitrous Oxide: 6%

Question 10

What is the greenhouse strength of carbon dioxide and where does CO2 come from?

Answer 10

The greenhouse strength is 1. CO2 comes from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity for homes and businesses. Burning fossil fuels to power transport. Deforestation.

Question 11

What is the greenhouse strength of Fluorogases, and where does it come from?

Answer 11

The Fluorogas greenhouse strength is 10,000. They come from man made gases used in aerosol cans and in refrigerators.

Question 12

What’s the greenhouse strength of methane and where does it come from?

Answer 12

The greenhouse strength is 30. Methane comes from agriculture like cattle and rice, and it is released when melting permafrost.

Question 13

What is the greenhouse strength of nitrous oxide, and where does it come from?

Answer 13

The greenhouse strength is 600. It comes from agriculture like fertiliser manufacture and use and burning fossil fuels for example, in car engines.

Question 14

Name 3 human activities that produce the most greenhouse gases:

Answer 14

• Energy in industry
• agriculture and deforestation
• energy in transport

Question 15

What are the top 2 countries responsible for the most greenhouse emissions?

Answer 15

China and USA

Question 16

What percentage increase have carbon dioxide levels increased since 1800?

Answer 16

50%

Question 17

What does parts per million mean?

Answer 17

Carbon dioxide levels are measured in parts per million. This tells you, for every 1 million molecules of air, how many of them will be carbon dioxide.

Question 18

What is a positive feedback loop?

Answer 18

In climate change, a feedback loop is something that speeds up or slows down a warming trend. A positive feedback accelerates a temperature rise, whereas a negative feedback slows it down.

Question 19

What’s a carbon footprint?

Answer 19

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions. The average carbon footprint for a person in the United States is 16 tons, one of the highest rates in the world.

Question 20

Name a policy that the government could mitigate climate change?

Answer 20

Reducing the need to travel and providing for sustainable transport. Providing opportunities for renewable and low carbon energy technologies. Providing opportunities for decentralised energy and heating.