Climate Change Flashcards
why is carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas
absorbs infrared radiation reflected by the surface of the Earth
evidence for climate change
dendrochronology, peat bot pollen, ice cores
what is Q10
increase in rate of reaction as a result of increasing the temperature by 10 degrees
Q10 = R2 / R1
R1 - rate of reaction at temperature of x degrees
R2 - rate of reaction at temperature at (x+10) degrees
ALWAYS DISCUSS ENZYME SUBSTRATE COMPLEX
how many times / triples doubles quadruples
why does anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases affect climate
humans burn fossil fuels, landfill sites, cattle ranch and deforest increasing methane and co2 which means more infared radiation trapped in atmosphere increasing the atmospheric temp
human activities for climate change
burn fossil fuels, landfill sites, cattle ranch and deforest
effects of climate change and what that leads to
changing rainfall patterns and changes in seasonal cycles which lead to
changes in distribution of species (move to cooler areas)
change in development - temp
how is pollen in beat bogs evidence for climate change
pollen grains preserved in peat bogs and analysis of samples give us an idea of what plants were present at the time peat was formed
pollen preserved in peat bogs (1)
a plant species can be identified from its pollen (1)
climate affects the type of plants growing
depth of peat correlates with period of time since pollen was produced (1)
changes in pollen over time indicate changes in climate (1)
how is dendrochronology evidence for climate change
study of tree rings as size of tree rings is affected by temperature
what is the greenhouse effect
When radiation from the sun hits the earth, it is radiated back from the earth’s surface a greenhouse gas absorbs this re-radiated radiation, trapping it in the earth’s atmosphere so that it is not lost to space.
effect of increased atmospheric warming
Weather events becoming more extreme
Changes to ocean currents leading to altered local climates
Warmer air can hold more moisture, leading to changes in patterns of rainfall
what effect does low temperature have on reaction
Molecules move relatively slowly as they have less kinetic energy
Less kinetic energy results in a lower frequency of successful collisions between substrate molecules and the active sites of the enzymes which leads to less frequent enzyme-substrate complex formation
Substrates and enzymes also collide with less energy, making it less likely for bonds to be formed or broken
explain denaturation
increased kinetic energy and vibration of an enzyme puts a strain on its bonds, eventually causing the weaker hydrogen and ionic bonds that hold the enzyme molecule in its precise shape to start to break
breaking of bonds causes the tertiary structure of the enzyme to change
The active site is permanently damaged and its shape is no longer complementary to the substrate, preventing the substrate from binding
explain carbon cycle
Carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by producers during photosynthesis
Producers incorporate carbon into their biomass in the form of carbohydrates and other biological molecules
Carbon is transferred to and between consumers as a result of feeding
Carbon is transferred back into the atmosphere by both plants and animals as a result of respiration
Carbon dioxide can also be removed from the atmosphere by dissolving in the oceans
Dissolved carbon can be taken in by marine plants when they photosynthesise or by other marine organisms as they build calcium carbonate exoskeletons
When living organisms die their tissues are broken down by decomposers such as bacteria and fungi
When these organisms respire, they too release carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere
Any living tissue that is not fully decomposed can go towards the formation of peat or fossil fuels - combustion of peat and fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere
impacts of climate change on effects of leaf rust on yield of wheat if leaf rust spreads when humidity is high
climate change could result in increased temperature / increased humidity / change in rainfall patterns / drought
increase in temperature could increase the growth of the leaf rust
{increased rainfall / increased humidity } could increase the spread of the leaf rust (1)
a period of drought could reduce the spread of leaf rust (1)
relevant observation about the impact on crop yield (1)
What is NPP
the rate at which energy from the sun is converted into the organic molecules that make up new plant biomass.
