Climate Change

Question 1

What is the definition of Weather?

Answer 1

The environmental conditions such as wind, pressure, temp, amount of precipitation, etc. in a specific place at a specific time.

Question 2

Definition: Climate

Answer 2

The characteristic pattern of weather conditions within a region, including average monthly temps, precipitation, wind velocity and other conditions averaged over a long period of time. (Years)

Question 3

Definition: Solar Activity

Answer 3

The amount of radiation the earth recieves from the sun is not constant. These variations in solar radiation may have an affect on the earths climate.

Question 4

What does the sun have to do with our weather?

Answer 4

It is the driving force of our weather systems. It provides the energy that produces wind, rain and other factors of climate.

Question 5

Defenition: Eccentricity

Answer 5

The flucuation of the Earths orbit around the sun due to the gravitational attraction to other planets. Over a cycle of 100 000 years the earths orbit changes from being almost circular to more eliptical.

Question 6

Defenition: Tilt

Answer 6

The tilt of the Earth on its axis changes by approximately 2.4 degrees over a period of 41000 years. The greater the tilt, the greater the temp difference between summer and winter.

Question 7

Defenition: Wobble

Answer 7

Because the earth is not a perfect sphere it wobbles on its axis.

Question 8

Defenition: Latitude

Answer 8

SInce the earths surface is curved a beam of light illuminates different sized areas at different latitudes. The equator absorbs more energy and the poles absorb less.

Question 9

Defenition: Albedo

Answer 9

The fraction of incident light or electromagnetic radiation that is reflected by the surfaces of an object, such as from back into space. It is the objects ability to reflect light.

Question 10

Defenition: Lithosphere

Answer 10

Is the earths solid crust. it is composed of massive sections of solid rock. These sections are known as tectonic plates. Every year these plates move a few centimetres. This causes changes to both land and water masses which in turn, affects air and water circulation. Changes in air and water circulation affect water patterns.

Question 11

Defenition: Volcanic Eruptions

Answer 11

Tectonic plate movement is responsible for volcanic activity. When volcanoes erupt, they spew ash and particulate matter into the atmosphere. These particles called aerosols reflect solar radiation and thus have a cooling effect on the global climate.

Question 12

Definition: Atmosphere

Answer 12

A thin layer of gases that surround a planet or moon.

Question 13

What does the earths atmosphere consist of?

Answer 13

Consists primarily of nitrogen approx 78% and oxygen approx 21%.

Question 14

What are gases that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation?

Answer 14

Greenhouse gases

Question 15

What are some gases that dont absorb and re-emit heat?

Answer 15

Nitrogen and oxygen. They do not to the natural greenhouse effect that keeps out planet warm enough for life.

Question 16

Layers of the atmosphere

Answer 16

The atmosphere has been divided into 5 sections: The troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. Weather occurs mainly in the troposphere and lower stratosphere.

Question 17

The Greenhouse Effect

Answer 17

The proccess by which gases build up thermal energy in the atmosphere by absorbing infrared radiation from the earths surface

Question 18

What are some natural greenhouse gases?

Answer 18

Water vapour, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. There are 2 sources of ozone. - Ground level that contributes to greenhouse gases, and stratospheric ozone that protects us from UV rays.

Question 19

What are some man made Greenhouse gases?

Answer 19

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), and excess co2 from the burning of fossil fuels.

Question 20

What is the anthropogenic greenhouse effect?

Answer 20

The increase in global average temperature, as a result of an increase in greenhouse gases due to human activities.

Question 21

Defeniton: Wind

Answer 21

The movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.

Question 22

What does wind effect?

Answer 22

Wind effects the movement of ocean currents, and precipitation patterns.

Question 23

Defenition: prevailing winds

Answer 23

Winds that blow in fairly constant directions that cover large areas around the world.

Question 24

Definition: Jet streams

Answer 24

High altitude winds that travel long distances at very high speeds. Jet streams may carry warm, moist or dry air or cool.

Question 25

Definition: Heat resevoirs

Answer 25

Water stores more heat than air. Water has a large specific heat capacity. Therefore water heats up slowly and releases heat slowly. water acts as a buffer to temp. changes in the atmosphere. Land masses near large bodies of water are warmer in the winter than more inland areas.

Question 26

How does solar energy travel?

Answer 26

It travels through space as electromagnetic radiation.

Question 27

What type of radiation keeps our planet and the things on it warm?

Answer 27

Infrared radiation

Question 28

Definition: Radiation

Answer 28

transfer of energy, including thermal energy, as electromagnetic radiation. This energy can travel through a vacuum. It can be absorbed, reflected or refracted.

Question 29

Definition: COnduction

Answer 29

The transfer of thermal energy between 2 objects that are in direct physical contact. Thermal energy always moves from a region of high temperature to an area of lower temperature.

Question 30

Definition: Convection

Answer 30

The transfer of thermal energy by highly energized molecules moving from one place to another. This movement can occur in liquids and gases but not solids.

Question 31

Defenition: Climatograph

Answer 31

A graph that shows the average monthly temperature and precipitation for a particular region on a single graph. The precipitation is represented by the bars, and the temperature is represented by the lines.

Question 32

How Climate change has affected main fisheries

Answer 32

Aquatic products are the most widely traded food worldwide. Climate change affects the diversity of fish and marine life. #’s of coldwater fish such as salmon and trout are expected to decline as a result of rising temps.

Question 33

How climate change affects deforestation

Answer 33

Rising temps can increase the risk of forest fires due to a drying climate. 1. The burning of forest quickly releases co2 into the environment. 2. Trees act as a natural sink for co2 gases and without them less co2 is being absorbed

Question 34

How climate change affects rising sea levels

Answer 34

rising sea levels reduce the amount of coastal lands, which causes loss of life and loss of agriculture.

Question 35

How climate change affects decreasing crop yeilds

Answer 35

most crops do well when the weather is warm aka between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius, but over 30 degrees Celsius crops lose too much water due to evaporation and wilt

Question 36

how does climate change affect water conflicts?

Answer 36

changes in precipitation patterns will cause the demand for water to exceed supply in some areas. A lot of people from asia need water from glaciers and because of that the glaciers are rapidly declining due to climate change.

Question 37

how does climate change affect a greater risk of disease>

Answer 37

Tropical diseases restricted to tropical areas can spread further north as the planet warms. Animals too can also increase their range north, possibly carrying diseases not yet seen in other countries.

Question 38

How does climate change affect increased severity and frequency of storms.

Answer 38

Hurricanes cause economic loss as well as loss of life. Increase in violent storms will force people inland, thus adding population pressure to other areas.

Question 39

How has agriculture affected the environment>

Answer 39

The need for increased agriculture, resulted in increased production of methane gas. As well as forests are cut down, to increase farmland, but this reduces the amount of co2 that can be absorbed from the environment.

Question 40

Why is there a higher amount of nitrates and nitrous oxides in the environment?

Answer 40

Farming

Question 41

What are the highest levels of greenhouse gases?

Answer 41

1. water vapour 2. co2 3. methane 4. nitrous oxide 5. ozone 6. CFC’s

Question 42

How does increased population and consumerism affect the climate?

Answer 42

A growing population means an increase in urbanization and the production of consumer products. More cars contributes to more acid rain as well as co2 and water vapour emissions.

Question 43

How is the ozone layer affected by climate change?

Answer 43

More CFC’s leads to thinning ozone layer. A thinner ozone layer in the stratosphere can actually lead to the cooling of the atmosphere.

Question 44

How do humans affect the carbon cycle?

Answer 44

When fossil fuels are burned very large levels of co2 are quickly released into the environment.

Question 45

Definition: Thermohaline circulation

Answer 45

The continuous flow of water around the worlds oceans; driven by differences in water temperatures, salinity and the wind.

Question 46

What are the 7 ways that climate change can affect all the nations of the world?

Answer 46

1. Main fisheries are affected
2. deforestation
3. rising sea levels
   4, decreasing crop yields
4. water conflicts
5. greater risk of disease
6. increased severity and frequency of storms