Climate Change Flashcards
What are Glacial periods?
When Temperatures drops huge sheets of ice cover large areas of land
What are inter glacial periods?
When temperature rises the sheets of ice melt
When did the most recent glacial period occur?
The most recent inter glacial period occurred between 120,000 and 115,000 years ago
What do we call the inter glacial period that we are in now?
We are currently in the Holocene Epoch
The remnants of the last ice age still cover what % of the Earth’s surface? Where is this found?
The remnants of the last ice age still cover 10% of the earth surface inducing Greenland, the arctic and Antarctica.
The Milankovitch Cycles are a reason given for past climate change. Explain how eccentricity might have resulted in climate change in the past?
Eccentricity may have resulted in Climate change due to the earth being closer to the sun or further away from the sun depending on what shape its orbit was and also what point of its orbit it was at.
Explain how precession may have resulted in climate change in the past
Precession might have resulted in climate change as the 26,000 year cycle impacts on the seasons which can cause warmer summers.
Explain how axial tilt might have resulted in climate change in the past?
Axial tilt might have resulted in climate change as the Earth’s tilt gives us the seasons. A greater degree of tilt means a higher temperature.
Explain how solar radiation may have resulted in climate change in the past.
Solar radiation may have resulted in climate change as there is a very small change in the amount of heat. Sun spots have an impact on the sun’s heat energy as well as the earth heat energy
Expalain how volcanism might have affected climate change in the past
Volcanism might have resulted in climate change because large eruptions lead to ash and sulphur dioxide being released into the atmosphere. The ash acts as a blanket stopping solar radiation from reaching earth and the sulphur dioxide mixes with to water to form Sulphuric acid. This absorbs radiation.
Explain how ice cores can be used as evidence of climate change in the past
Ice in areas such as Antarctica has been there for millions of years. Cores can be drilled to measure amounts of carbon dioxide. Lower carbon dioxide means lower temperature. Higher carbon dioxide means higher temperature
Explain how pollen records can be used as evidence of climate change in the past
Pollen gets trapped in ice and sedimentary rock. Certain plants can only grow in certain conditions. This gives us information about what the climate must have have been like
Explain how tree rings can be used as evidence of climate change in the past.
Each year the growth of a tree is shown by a single ring. A narrow ring means a cooler dryer year while a thicker ring means a warmer wetter year. Analysing the rings can tell us what the climate was like throughout the trees history
Explain how historical sources can be used as evidence of climate change in the past?
Cave painting, diaries and documentary evidence can all be used find out more data about history this can include the weather and climate.
