Climate Change Flashcards
Water heats up faster than land. (true or false)
false
What is albedo?
The reflectivity of a surface.
Why does it take a long time for water to heat up/cool down?
high thermal heat capacity
dark surfaces –> low albedo –> absorbs sun/heat (true or false)
true
Glaciers have a high albedo. (true or false)
true
What is climate?
The weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period.
What is weather?
The state of the atmosphere at a given time and place.
The state of the atmosphere at a given time and place.
temperature and precipitation
How do bodies of water affect local climate?
Moderates climate because of water’s high thermal heat capacity. (It takes a long time to warm up and a long time to cool down.) Buffers temperatures
How do ocean currents affect climate?
Ocean currents act as conveyor belts of warm and cold water, sending heat toward the polar regions (from the equator) and helping tropical areas cool off (from the polar regions), thus influencing both weather and climate.
What are the 3 types of energy transfer?
convection, conduction, radiation
What is convection?
Heat transfer in a fluid in which hot fluid rises and cold fluid sinks, setting up a cycle (heating through flow).
What is conduction?
The transfer of heat through direct contact (heating through touch).
What is radiation?
The transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves (from the sun).
Name the 3 factors that affect climate precipitation?
prevailing winds, mountain ranges, bodies of water
What is the greenhouse effect?
A process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere traps the Sun’s heat. This process makes Earth much warmer than it would be without an atmosphere. The greenhouse effect is one of the things that makes Earth a comfortable place to live.
What is global warming?
A gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants.
Which holds heat longer, land or water?
water
How is Carbon Dioxide added to the atmosphere?
Carbon Dioxide is added to the atmosphere through natural and unnatural sources. These include volcanoes, decomposition, deforestation, burning of fossil fuels.
What are fossil fuels?
Fossil fuels are made from decomposing plants and animals. These fuels are found in the Earth’s crust and contain carbon and hydrogen, which can be burned for energy. Coal , oil , and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels.
What is the impact on the environment when fossil fuels are burned?
It causes carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to rise.
Name a non renewable resource.
Coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear
Name a renewable resource.
solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric, geothermal
The Greenhouse Effect is caused by _____________________, ________________________, and ____________________.
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), Water Vapor, Sun’s energy being trapped
