Climate Change

Question 1

Climate

Weather

Answer 1

Climate:
What you expect, average of weather over long periods (average) (sum of all changes in temp and precipitation patterns resulting from global warming)

Weather:
What you get, atmosphere over short periods (current)

Question 2

Orbital forcing

Milankovitch cycling

Answer 2

Natural climate (forcing) physical processes influencing temperature

• eccentricity of earths orbit varies over long time from .005-.058
• Earths axial tilt (obliquity) varies from 22.1-24.5 degrees
• Precession (earths wobbling)

These together contribute to Milankovitch cycles: influences temperature every 100000 yrs, correlates with glacial and inter glacial periods

Question 3

Suns output

Answer 3

Natural climate (forcing) physical processes influencing temperature

Radiation earth outputs varies

Question 4

Causes Climate change

Natural forces

Answer 4

1. earths orbit
2. suns output
3. Volcanic eruptions
4. Plate tetonic

Question 5

Causes climate change anthropogenic forces

Answer 5

(burning fossil fuels, deforestation)

5. Greenhouse gasses

Question 6

Greenhouse gasses

Answer 6

Correlation between rise of CO2 at atmosphere and rise of temp after post Industrial Age

Incoming solar light is absorbed by earth while some is reflected as infra-red(heat). Green gases trap infrared, so less heat is radiated from atmosphere to space, warming earth.

Question 7

Effects of climate change

Answer 7

More carbon dioxide causes acidic oceans:

• slow skeletal growth in coral and coral bleaching
• mass death of shell-critters

Sea level rise:

• temperature increase causes ice sheet melting leading to rise in sea level
• ex:glacial retreats on mt. Killimanjaro

Effect on animals and plants:

• disrupt migration,hibernation, and reproductive cycles
• birds, insects moving north (higher altitudes)
• higher latitude+mountain tops running out of habitat
• permafrost thaws microbes and decomposes organic material and convert to methane (greenhouse gas)