Climate Change

Question 1

Using examples, differentiate between the terms: weather & climate

Answer 1

Weather: Short-Term changes in the atmosphere (-20 degrees today)

Climate: atmosphere changes over longer periods of time (expect snow in January & warm temps in July)

Question 2

Layers of the atmosphere & one characteristic of each

Answer 2

Troposphere: weather occurs here

Stratosphere: very little moisture

Mesosphere: very little gas

Thermosphere: absorbs the x rays

Exosphere: starts at 600km

Question 3

What is albedo? Why do different surfaces on earth vary in terms of their albedo? Which regions typically have the best albedo?

Answer 3

The measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects.

Vary based on color, texture, & composition.

Polar regions and deserts have the best albedo.

Question 4

Carbon sink vs. Carbon source

Answer 4

Sink: anything that removes CO2 from the atmosphere (forests & oceans)

Source: anything that produces CO2

Question 5

Paleodata, 2 examples & explain how they contribute to our understanding of climate

Answer 5

Info collected from natural sources.

Ice core: scientists drill into ice glaciers & extract samples. There are diff colours/rings from different time periods & temps

Tree trunk: # of tree rings reveals the age of a tree and the temp

Question 6

Natural greenhouse effect & how its diff from anthropogenic greenhouse effect

Answer 6

Gases that trap heat, keeping the planet warm enough to support life (Water vapour, CO2, CH4, N2O)

Anthropogenic is caused by human activities (burning fossil fuels)

Question 7

Define greenhouse gas. How do we contribute? How can we reduce our contribution?

Answer 7

Any gas that absorbs and emits heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. (CO2, CH4)

Burning fossil fuels, agriculture, deforestation, etc. contribute. We can reduce by recycling, use renewable energy, reforestation, etc.