Climate Change

Question 1

Name 4 greenhouse gases (or gas classes).

Answer 1

CO2, water vapor, methane, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Question 2

How do greenhouse gases warm the earth?

Answer 2

They absorb infrared radiation that is emitted by the Earth and re-emit it to the earth further warming it.

Question 3

How much of the energy that comes to the Earth from the sun is reflected back to the atmosphere?

Answer 3

About 30%

Question 4

What do small energy increases in the Earth’s atmosphere result in?

Answer 4

Very large increases in the temperature on the surface of the planet

Question 5

Climate changes cause us to see what?

Answer 5

More variability in the Earth’s weather resulting in extreme weather events (e.g. more droughts, more floods, more storms)

atmospheric extremes because of excess energy in the air

Question 6

Define climate change commitment.

Answer 6

If we do nothing else to add to climate change, we have already committed ourselves to a certain level of change in temperature, sea level and precipitation.

Question 7

Define a scenario where climate change would have an impact on humans.

Answer 7

Many examples …. climate change causes a flood which causes a population to relocate; climate change can cause a drought which decreases the supply of food which causes starvation in a population; climate change causes a heat wave that increases mortality in the elderly, etc.

Question 8

Give at least five changes that occur because of climate change given a scenario of your choice

Answer 8

Write it down.