Climate Change

Question 1

Name 5 Physical causes of climate change.

Answer 1

Sun spots
Milankovitch cycles
Ocean currents
Volcanic eruptions
Solar variations

Question 2

Describe Sun Spots

Answer 2

When solar activity is high, sunspots appear on the Sun’s surface – these peak every 11 years.
When there are more sunspots, temperatures are higher.

Question 3

Describe Solar Variation.

Answer 3

The amount of solar energy released by the sun is fairly stable, but increases and decreases at certain times. Variations in solar activity over time can increase or decrease global temperatures.
The Little Ice Age of 1650-1850 is linked to a decrease in solar activity.

Question 4

Describe Volcanic Eruptions.

Answer 4

When a volcano erupts, it releases a large amount of ash and gases into the atmosphere.
This shields the Earth from incoming energy, lowering temperatures.

For example, Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991 – global sunlight fell by 10% meaning temperatures decreased by 0.5% globally.

Question 5

Describe Milankovitch cycles.

Answer 5

Milankovitch cycles are changes in the Earth’s orbit and tilt that alter the amount of energy Earth receives.
More energy means higher temperatures.
A greater tilt towards the sun means warmer summers and colder winters, a lower tilt has the opposite effect.

Question 6

Describe Ocean currents.

Answer 6

Some ocean currents transfer warm water to cooler areas, others transfer cool water to warmer areas.

Changes in ocean currents can impact global temperature, such as the periodic warming (El Niño) and cooling (La Niña) of the Pacific Ocean.

Question 7

Name the 4 gases which are responsible for Climate Change.

Answer 7

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
CFC’s (Chlorofluorocarbons)

Question 8

What are 2 ways that CO2 is produced?

Answer 8

Factories
Deforestation

Question 9

How is CO2 produced in Factories?

Answer 9

Burning fossil fuels (e.g. oil and gas) produces carbon dioxide, which raises global temperatures.

Carbon dioxide accounts for 3⁄4 of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, making it a significant contributor to global warming.

Question 10

How is CO2 produced from Deforestation?

Answer 10

Deforestation is increasing, to make space for farms and houses.
Trees store carbon dioxide, so cutting down trees releases more CO2 into the atmosphere – causing global warming.
Trees are often burned during deforestation which further increases CO2 emissions.

Question 11

Name 2 ways which Methane is produced.

Answer 11

Farming
Landfill

Question 12

Explain how Methane is produced from Farming.

Answer 12

More rice production and cattle farming produces more methane.
This contributes to increased temperatures.

Methane is much stronger (20x stronger) than carbon
dioxide, meaning small increases have a larger impact.

Question 13

Describe how Methane is formed from Landfill Sites.

Answer 13

Landfill sites also release methane when our waste decomposes. More household waste means more methane – causing more global warming.

Question 14

How is Nitrous Oxide formed?

Answer 14

Nitrous oxide is produced by car exhausts and power stations, increasing greenhouse gases and therefore temperatures.

Nitrous oxide is 300 times more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide, and stays in the atmosphere for ~114 years.

Question 15

How are CFC’s formed?

Answer 15

Old fridges, air conditioning units and aerosols contain CFCs.
These erode the ozone layer, contributing to global warming.

Question 16

Name 4 local effects of Climate Change.

Answer 16

Rising temperatures
Rising sea levels
Intense rainfall
Drought

Question 17

What is the effect of Rising Temperatures?

Answer 17

Higher winter temperatures may cause less snow at ski centres, which could reduce tourism.
This may cause job losses in ski resorts like Aviemore.

Scottish plants and animals such as the mountain hare may struggle to survive while non-native species thrive.

As temperatures rise, use of central heating will fall. This saves people money, and reduces CO2 emissions.

Frequent and intense heatwaves in summer causes more sunstroke, which can damage health/put pressure on the NHS.

As the UK becomes warmer, tropical diseases like malaria could spread here.

Rising sea temperatures mean haddock and cod are migrating away north, raising their prices and changing our diet.

Warmer temperatures may mean higher crop yields (more crops) and a longer growing season.

Question 18

How does Rising Sea Levels affect us?

Answer 18

Rising sea levels threatens low-lying coastal areas like Stonehaven with flooding.

Coastal flooding may damage seaside homes and businesses, forcing people to relocate.

Question 19

What are the effects of Intense Rainfall?

Answer 19

As warmer air can hold more moisture, more intense rainfall is likely in the UK.
Intense rainfall brings ‘flash flooding’, which damages transport infrastructure, e.g. A93 at Ballater.

Old Victorian drainage systems need updating to cope with intense rain, at a cost to local councils.

Question 20

What are the effects of Drought?

Answer 20

Reduced rainfall will cause drought, leading to crop failure and lower food supplies.

Droughts also cause water shortages, meaning hosepipe bans may be introduced.

Question 21

Name 5 global effects of Climate Change.

Answer 21

Health
Increasing temperatures
Sea level rises
Extreme weather events
Ocean acidification

Question 22

How does Climate Change affect Health?

Answer 22

Tropical diseases that thrive in warm wet locations may spread north as temperature and rainfall increases.

40 million extra people in Africa may be exposed to
malaria infection.

Reduced rainfall causes drought in places like east Africa (e.g. Ethiopia), causing crop failure and a shortage of food.

Question 23

How do increases in temperatures affect people?

Answer 23

Increased temperatures are causing ice sheets to melt, resulting in a loss of habitat for Arctic species.

Arctic shipping lanes north of Canada will be ice-free for longer each year, as warmer temperatures reduce levels of sea ice.

An intense summer heatwave in 2022 caused over 20,000 deaths in Europe.

Question 24

How does Climate Change affect Sea Levels?

Answer 24

Sea levels have risen because of melting ice. This threatens low-lying locations, such as the Netherlands.

Warmer oceans cause water to expand (“thermal expansion”), further intensifying flooding.

Rising seas force climate change refugees to leave low lying areas (e.g. Bangladesh) for higher ground, putting pressure on resources in receiving areas.

Question 25

How does Climate Change affect Weather Events?

Answer 25

Prolonged dry seasons can cause wildfires, e.g. in Australia, destroying rural communities.

I As temperatures rise, hurricanes become more common and powerful (e.g. Florida).

Poorer nations are less able to prepare for extreme weather, such as Dominica where 90% of buildings were damaged by Hurricane Maria.

Question 26

How does Climate Change affect Ocean Acidification?

Answer 26

Warmer oceans are becoming more acidic, causing coral reefs to ‘bleach’.

Less coral could reduce tourism at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Question 27

Identify and Explain 2 strategies used to reduce Methane.

Answer 27

Aberdeen City Council’s kerbside recycling service helps people recycle at home.
This reduces methane from waste going to landfill, and saves the energy needed to make new products.

The UK and Scottish Governments charge 10p for single-use plastic bags, to reduce levels of plastic waste and the energy used to create bags.

Question 28

Identify and Explain 5 ways to reduce CO2 emissions.

Answer 28

LED lightbulbs use 80% less energy than traditional bulbs, lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Turning appliances, lights, and sockets off reduces carbon emissions more than when left on standby.

Switching to a green electricity supplier – or installing solar panels on your roof – increases the use of renewable energy that emits no CO2

The Scottish Government has pledged to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. To reduce CO2 emissions, Scotland is switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

The UK Government has set low/free vehicle tax on vehicles that have low CO2 emissions, to encourage people to switch to less polluting vehicles.

Question 29

Identify and Explain 4 ways to reduce Nitrous oxide emissions.

Answer 29

Aberdeen City Council has installed bus and cycle lanes
along major roads (e.g. King Street), to encourage more bus usage and cycling.

For those still driving, switching to smaller cars or electric cars reduces nitrous oxide emissions.

Low Emission Zones are being introduced in Scottish cities to reduce emissions of nitrous oxide from exhausts, and improve air quality.

The world’s first hydrogen double decker buses were launched by First Aberdeen in 2021.
These only emit water vapour, therefore emitting zero greenhouse gases; and also make public transport more appealing to travellers, making them more likely to switch from car to bus.

Question 30

Name 2 Global Strategies to reduce Climate Change.

Answer 30

Kyoto Protocol

Paris Agreement

Question 31

What is the Paris Agreement?

Answer 31

Aims to limit global warming to “well below 2°C”, ideally 1.5°C.

All countries have contributions to try and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are updated every 5 years and made stricter.

Question 32

What is the Kyoto Protocol?

Answer 32

It is aimed to reduce emissions by 5% of 1990 levels by 2012.

Each country had a limit on their CO2 emissions. If they exceeded this, they had to buy a ‘carbon credit’ – meaning polluting countries paid according to the level of their CO2 emissions.