Climate Change Flashcards
When do we enter a new unit of geological time?
When an event occurs that changes the characteristics of the Earth
What name do geologists give to an event that has a clear change in our geological unit of time?
Golden spike
What is the Anthropocene?
An unofficial new unit of Earth’s history as a result of humans changing the characteristics of the planet
What conditions must be met for a Golden spike to occur?
Evidence of long-term changes to the Earth as a global system simultaneously
A ‘marker’ of the event that can be identified and dated from digging down into rocks, the ocean floor or glacial ice
What are the main causes of natural climate change?
Small changes to the shape of the Earth’s orbit and angle of it’s tilt
How do the main causes of climate change affect natural climate change?
It affects how much solar energy the Earth receives
What is the Greenhouse effect?
A natural process that traps shortwave radiation emitted from the sun to the Earth. This heats the Earth’s surface before emitting longwave radiation that is either released back into space or absorbed by the Greenhouse gases and stays in Earth’s atmosphere
What is the Enhanced Greenhouse effect?
An unnatural process as a result of human activity. Less longwave radiation is released back into space and is absorbed by the Greenhouse gases, trapped in Earth’s atmosphere and heats the planet
What are the four main Greenhouse gases and the strengths of them?
Carbon Dioxide - 1
Fluoro Gases - 10,000
Methane - 30
Nitrous Oxide - 600
What is the percentage of emissions that come from Carbon Dioxide and where does it come from?
75% - Burning fossil fuels for electricity & transport, Deforestation
What is the percentage of emissions that come from Fluoro-Gases and where does it come from?
2% - Manmade gases used in aerosol cans and refrigerators
What is the percentage of emissions that come from Methane and where does it come from?
17% - Agriculture, Melting permafrost
What is the percentage of emissions that come from Nitrous Oxide and where does it come from?
6% - Agriculture, Burning fossil fuels
What sources of human activity produce Greenhouse gases?
Industry & Transport
Agriculture & Food production
Electricity
Deforestation
High population
Developing Countries
Which country produces the most emissions and what is the percentage?
China (32%)