Climate Change Flashcards
What is the definition of weather?
Day to day conditions ( includes temperature, cloud cover, pressure and precipitation)
What is the definition of Climate?
The average weather conditions that occur in a region over a long period of time
What is albedo?
The reflectivity of a material
What is the definition of heat sink?
A material that absorbs heat and releases it slowly
What is radiation?
The transfer of energy by means of waves
What is conduction?
Transfer of energy through particle collision
What is convection?
Transfer of energy through movement of particles in a fluid
How do the sun and earth’s shapes affect earth’s climate?
The suns energy is absorbed by things such as the land, oceans, and clouds. It is also reflected from clouds and other surfaces. The amount reflected depends on the ALBEDO of the material
How does the atmosphere affect the climate?
The greenhouse effect helps keep the earth warm enough. Convection currents and wind help distribute that heat.
How does the hydrosphere affect the climate?
Oceans act as heat sinks and help buffer heat on land. Warm ocean currents cream warn wet climates and cols currents create dryer climates
How do volcanoes affect climate?
They spew ash which reflect solar radiation, cooling the earth
How does human activity affect climate?
Deforestation increases CO2, farming produces methane
What does a polar climate look like?
dry, cool summers, cold year round
What does a temperate climate look like?
true seasons, moderate precipitation, variety of climate patterns
What does a tropical climate look like?
no winter, warm year round, rainfall, humidity
Hoe does the sun affect the weather?
warms the atmosphere and oceans, creates climate zones, keeps water cycle going
How does the water cycle affect weather?
Condensation creates clouds, precipitation causes rain
What is transpiration?
Evaporation of water out of plants
How does the atmosphere affect the weather?
Weather occurs in the troposphere
What does falling air pressure mean?
Stormy weather coming
What does rising air pressure mean?
fair weather coming
What does steady air pressure mean?
no weather coming
How does the ocean affect weather?
ocean currents affect the temperature of the land they pass by
What is the evidence behind climate change?
Increase in global average temperature and higher greenhouse gas levels
How do heat waves affect us?
increased use of power leads to more greenhouse gasses being produced, soil and lakes warm up, permafrost is melting much more
How do wildfires affect us?
when the weather is dry, trees become so dry that the probability of wildfires
How do storms affect us?
Rapid increase in the earths temperature can lead to more frequent and severe storms
Describe how floods affect us
When air temperature warms quickly, snow can melt too quickly for rivers to handle
How does melting ice affect us?
changing coastlines and shape of continental coasts, causes loss of property, flooding land, reduces amount of fresh water
How does ocean warming affect us?
warm water expands, making sea levels higher, warm water is a less effective carbon sink, produces more hurricanes, kills phytoplankton
What do thick tree rings mean?
the tree grew in better conditions
What do thin rings on a tree mean?
the tree lived through poorer conditions
Why do scientists look at tree rings?
To determine the weather conditions over the life of the tree
What is another way scientists can find data about carbon in the past?
samples of the continental glacier
When did CO2 levels begin to rise?
Around 1750 (industrial revolution)
What is the anthropogenic greenhouse effect?
The enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect due to human activities
What is a negative feedback loop?
A feedback loop that reduces the effect and helps maintain balance
What is a positive feedback loop?
a feedback loop that increases the effect and produces instability
Hoe does the greenhouse effect work?
Solar energy passes through the atmosphere, earth’s surface converts it to thermal energy, warms earth’s surface, infrared radiation is sent back to the atmosphere, its trapped by the atmosphere
What is a greenhouse gas?
Any gas that absorbs infrared radiation
What are some greenhouse gases?
Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and surface level ozone
How does water vapor influence global warming?
Water vapor traps energy, making the earth warmer
Why is methane a more potent gas?
Methane absorbs 23 absorbs more thermal energy than carbon dioxide
