Climate Change Flashcards
why is the greenhouse gas effect important to earth?
- helps make the earth warmer
- without greenhouse gases, the earth would be cold
how does the greenhouse gas effect in the atmosphere work?
- radiation is absorbed by the earth’s surface
- earth’s surface warms up and emits IR radiation
- energy is radiated equally in all direction (half gets sent back)
what is greenhouse gas?
infrared radiation made by earth surface is absorbed by gases and clouds. it heats the atmosphere and earth’s surface.
name 5 greenhouse gases in our atmosphere:
- CO2
- CH4
- water vapour
- nitrous oxide
- tropospheric ozone
give a natural source for CO2
cellular respiration
give a natural source for CH4
plant decomposition
give a natural source for nitrous oxide
- reactions of bacteria in soil and water
give a natural source for water vapour
temperature of the earth (hotness)
what is anthropogenic greenhouse effect?
happens from human influence
what is a carbon sink?
a reservoir such as an ocean or forest that absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and stores it in another form
what are 2 positive feedback loops?
CO2 released from carbon sinks –> CO2 traps thermal energy –> global temperature increased –>
higher temperatures more water vapour –> more water vapour makes higher temperatures –>
what absorbs infrared radiation emitted from the Earth’s surface and radiates it?
gases and clouds
what percentage of energy is converted to thermal energy?
51%
what does the radiation of the sun reach the earth’s surface at?
different intensities
water and land absorb energy at …
different rates
what absorbs more thermal energy than air?
water
what happens to thermal energy?
it’s transported from areas that receive a lot of radiation to areas that receive less radiation
is hot air or cold air more dense?
cold air
- molecules are closer together
what are convection currents?
a circular current in air and water caused by the rising of warm water as cold water sinks
as warm air rises, what does it create?
an area of low pressure below it
as cool air falls, what does it create?
an area of high pressure
what makes air currents or wind?
air flow from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
what are prevailing winds?
high and low pressure along with the rotation of the earth causes winds that curve around the globe
what does haline mean?
salt
what does thermal mean?
heat
as water travels to the poles what happens?
it gets colder and saltier, and therefore more dense
describe thermohaline circulation:
- dense water at the poles sinks to the ocean floor
- warmer surface water from the equator flows towards the poles to take its place
- continuous flow of water around world’s oceans is driven by differences in water temp and salinity
describe ocean currents and climate zones:
- warm ocean currents heat the air from above them which moves to the land and produces rain
- cold ocean currents cool the air above them causing cool dry air to reach the land creating desert areas
what are positive feedback loops?
changes in the system results in more changes in the system and less stability. A produces more of B which in turn, produces more A.
ex. someone taking drugs, body gets used to it, need more for the same effect.
what are negative feedback loops?
self-regulating system that works to maintain stability. the response to a stimulus minimizes the stimulus.
ex. thermostat
define thermohaline:
the continuous flow of water around the world’s oceans driven by differences in water temperatures and salinity
rising sea levels:
- glaciers melting & ocean warming will cause sea levels to rise
- leads to increased risk of flooding
impacts on agriculture:
- dry regions will have increased drought
- crops will be less productive (lead to famine)
- other areas will get increased rain (leads to damaged crops)
impacts on ecosystems:
- plants and animals will migrate toward the poles (leads to changing ecosystems)
- leads to loss in biodiversity (affects food webs, resources)
impacts on human, animal and planet health:
- pests, diseases, and disease carriers that inhabit warmer climates could spread toward the poles
how are sinkholes created?
- permafrost is melting creating sinkholes
what is the albedo effect?
the reflection of solar radiation by a surface is called the albedo effect.
- ice and snow have a high albedo because they reflect a lot of radiation
climate change in the arctic on release of CO2
CO2 and CH4 that was stored in the permafrost are being released as it melts
climate change in the arctic on sea level
- melting ice raises the sea level
climate change in the arctic on ocean currents
- fresh water from melting ice wil flow into Arctic Ocean causing ocean currents to slow/stop (thermohaline circulation)
climate change in the arctic on biodivesrity
- migratory species with breeding grounds in Arctic may move to now ecosystem
climate change in the arctic on shipping & transportation
- as polar ice caps melt, ships will be able to travel shorter routes (less money & energy)
how will lake levels in ontario be impacted?
ontario’s average temperature could increase by 3 to 6 degrees celsius in the winter and 4 to 8 degrees
what is the UNFCCC?
- an agreement created in 1992 to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions
- discuss scientific and political action
- agreed not to hinder food production
what is the Kyoto Protocol?
- a plan within UN requiring industrialized nations to reduce GHG emissions by 5% by 2012
- 183 countries ratified it
- canada ratified it in 2002
what are the emission reduction credits for?
- helping a developing country reduce its emissions
- helping a developed country reduce its emissions during a temporary economic problem
- engaging in practices that help remove CO2 from the atmosphere
what are carbon credits?
- each country is given an emission target quota
- you can purchase carbon credits from other countries if you need more
- you can purchase carbon offset credits if you are a big polluter (investing in other projects that reduce emissions on their behalf)
what happened with Canada and the Kyoto Protocol?
- between 1990 and 2006 canada’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 22%
- we can’t make our Kyoto Protocol because of the Alberta oil sands
what is the Copenhagen accord?
- took effect in 2013 after Kyoto Protocol expired
- not legally binding
- canada’s commitment is to cut emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020
what is the Paris agreement?
- limit temperature increase to 2º
- each country makes their own plan
- developed countries must give financial aid to developing countries to help them meet their target
- countries must publicly share progress on goals
as CO2 temp. increases what will happen to the ecozones within ontario
disease and illness:
- increase in population of disease-carrying organisms
- increase in respiratory disorder (asthma)
what is weather?
atmospheric conditions including temperature, precipitation, wind and humidity, in a particular location over a short period of time.
what is climate?
the average of the weather in a region over a long period of time.
what are climate zones?
an area classified according to the temperature, precipitation, and plant communities.
what do climate zones have an impact on?
the type of species that can survive in the area.
what are ecozones?
regions with a particular set of climate conditions and natural features including:
- soil
- landscape features
- plants
- animals
- climate
how many ecozones does canada have?
20 major ecozones
what are proxy records?
stores info in tree rings, ice cores, and fossils that can be measured to give clues as to what the climate was like in the past.
proxy records – ice cores:
ice has tiny bubbles that have been trapped for thousands of centuries and can be tested for various gases
proxy records – tree rings:
the thickness of a tree ring indicates the growing conditions
proxy records – coral reefs:
corals have layers of growth each season and give clues about the temperature of the ocean
proxy records – rocks and fossils:
scientists can look at rocks and layers of soil for clues like plant pollen or fossils that would give us an idea about what the climate was like in the ocean floor
when radiation contacts a particle of matter, one of the three things happen:
- the radiation may be absorbed by the particle, causing the particle to gain energy
- the radiation may be transmitted through the particle
- the radiation may be reflected off the particle
as the surface of the earth warms up from the sun’s energy, what happens?
it gains thermal energy and converts it to low-energy infrared radiation
what is the amount of energy radiated by earth’s system equal to?
it’s equal to the amount of energy earth’s system absorbs from the sun
what is equilibrium?
the balance between energy absorbed from the sun and energy emitted fro the earth ensures that earth’s global temp. remains fairly constant
what would happen without a climate change system?
the earth would still reach an energy equilibrium however, earth would be much colder
what is continental drift?
when continents move, ocean currents and wind patterns change, causing changes
what happens as mountain ranges form?
regional climates change
in climate, what is considered a short period of time?
10s to 100s of years.
what is el nino effect?
occurs every 3-7 years. it involves a change in prevailing winds that causes changes in climate.
