Climate Change - causes of Flashcards
What is climate change?
Climate change is a large-scale, long-term shift in the planet’s weather patterns and average temperatures. Earth has had tropical climates and ice ages many times in its 4.5 billion year history.
Is Climate Change caused by just human factors or just physical factors?
It is caused by a number of different Human and Physical factors.
Climate change is often incorrectly considered to be a fairly recent phenomena solely down to humans.
However studies of past climates show that it has always occurred and is not only caused by human activity.
Name the 4 human causes of Climate Change.
- Population growth
- Deforestation
- Fossil Fuel Consumption
- Agriculture
How does population growth affect climate change?
An increased in the number of people leads to an increase in CO2 emissions. This then traps more heat in our atmosphere.
How does deforestation lead to climate change?
Trees absorb C02 in photosynthesis and act as sponges for CO2. Removing trees has led to more CO2 in the atmosphere and so more heat being trapped.
How does Fossil Fuel Consumption lead to climate change?
The consumption of fossil fuels ( coal/oil/gas) releases large amounts of carbon emissions in the atmosphere which means more heat being trapped.
How does Agriculture affect climate change?
Trees are often removed to make more land suitable for farming. Cattle ranching produces large amounts of a green house gas called methane
What are 3 natural causes of climate change?
- Orbital Change
- Volcanic Eruptions
- Solar Flares
How does Orbital Change affect climate change?
The Earth has natural warming and cooling periods caused by Milankovitch cycles or variations in the tilt and/or orbit of the Earth around the Sun (Wobble, roll and stretch theory).
How do Volcanic Eruptions affect climate change?
When volcanoes erupt, they release a mixture of gases and particles into the air. Some of them, such as ash and sulphur dioxide, have a cooling effect, because they reflect sunlight away from the earth. Others, such as CO2, cause warming by adding to the greenhouse effect.
How do Solar Flares affect climate change?
Sometimes areas of the Sun will suddenly appear much brighter. These bright spots are called solar flares. They are areas where a large amount of energy is released to the surface of the Sun. A huge amount of heat then escapes from the sun’s surface.
