Climate Change Flashcards
What is the name given for the cooling period in Earth’s history?
Cold period = Glacial (aka ice age)
What are the four natural causes of climate change?
- Orbital theory
- Solar activity
- Asteroid collision
- Volcanic activity
What is Orbital theory/Milankovitch cycles? And why does it change the climate?
It is where sometimes the Earths orbit around the sun would be circular and sometimes it would circle in an oval shape, this fluctuates the temperature.
Why does volcanic activity affect our climate and what is it?
When a massive volcanic eruptions happen huge amounts of dust and ash fill the atmosphere, this blocks the sun and temp drops.
What are three pieces of evidence for natural climate change?
Tree rings, ice cores, historical records.
How do historical records provide evidence of past climate change?
It shows/tells us how people described the weather back then.
What is the greenhouse effect?
Where greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing global temperatures to rise.
Give an example of a greenhouse gas.
CO2 + CH4
Name at least 3 human activities that produce greenhouse gases and enhance that greenhouse effect.
Transport, Energy, Industry, Agriculture.
What are three pieces of evidence for human-induced climate change?
Melting artic ice, temperature, sea level records change.
What are two reasons for global sea rise?
Melting ice caps, thermal expansion.
Identify at least 3 possible consequences of climate change.
Heatwaves, droughts, flooding, forest fires, mass extinction.
Why is it difficult to make projections for how much sea levels could rise?
we might
-start using more renewables
-start using more fossil fuels
-there might be a super volcano eruption
-the population might increase exponentially
