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sci exam review > climate change - chapter 8 > Flashcards

climate change - chapter 8 Flashcards

changing climate and global warming

1
Q

weather

A

atmospheric conditions in a particular location over a short period of time, such as a day or a week

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2
Q

metereologists usually provide the following information when describing the weather:

A

temperature
precipitation
wind speed
humidity
atmospheric pressure
fog mist or clouds

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3
Q

relative humidity

A

amt of water vapour relative to the amt the air can hold at its current temp

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4
Q

ways meteorologists predict the weather:

A

weather stations
weather balloons
aircraft
satellites

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5
Q

climate

A

the average of weather in a region over a long period of time

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6
Q

climate zones are based on

A

temperature
precipitation
plant communities

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7
Q

ecoregions are based on

A

landforms
soil
plant
animals

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8
Q

climate is affected by

A

latitude
large bodies of water
ocean/air currents
land formations
altitude

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9
Q

climate system

A

the complex set of components that interact with each other to produce Earth’s climate

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10
Q

ultraviolet radiation (climate change)

A

a form of invisible higher-energy radiation

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11
Q

infrared radiation (climate change)

A

a form of invisible lower-energy radiation

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12
Q

the sun emits 3 types of radiation, what are they?

A

UV, visible, IR

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13
Q

3 things that could happen to radiation when it reaches a particle

A

it could get absorbed
it could get transmitted through
it could get reflected off

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14
Q

how much of the radiation from the sun is reflected back?

A

about 30%

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15
Q

where does the 70% of radiation not reflected off of earth go?

A

about 20% is absorbed by the atmosphere and clouds
50% of it is absorbed by land and oceans

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16
Q

how does earth have balance and not get too hot/cold from the radiation?

A

when earth absorbs thermal (heat) energy it reflects back infrared radiation
energy absorbed = energy radiated

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17
Q

thermal energy

A

the energy present in the motion of particles at a particular temperature

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18
Q

two reasons why latitude changes temperature

A

radiation passes through less of the atmosphere when it is closer
radiation hits harder when it is not spread out

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19
Q

components of climate system

A

atmosphere
hydrosphere
lithosphere
living things

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20
Q

levels of the atmosphere lowest to highest

A

troposphere
stratosphere
mesosphere
thermosphere
exosphere

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21
Q

ozone in the stratosphere

A

ozone in the stratosphere prevents the suns harmful energy from reaching us like absorbing UV light

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22
Q

what was ozone depletion in the stratosphere caused by

A

CFC or chlorofluorocarbons which are part of the halocarbon family

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23
Q

what are halocarbons/chlorofluorocarbons

A

molecules made up of carbon atoms connected to chlorine, bromine, or iodine

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24
Q

ozone in the troposphere

A

it has a toxic and corrosive effect in the troposphere creating smog from mixing with exhaust from cars
it also doesnt have any substantial protection from UV

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25
Q

hydrosphere includes

A

liquid water
water vapour
ice

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26
Q

large bodies of water and climate zones

A

water heats up and cools down more slowly than land so regions are affected by how cold or hot the water is even if the temperature of the land has changed

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27
Q

how much of earths water is frozen

A

2%

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28
Q

ice and the climate system

A

ice has a lot of albedo so it contributes a lot to reflecting heat off of earth and keeping earth at a good temperature

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29
Q

lithosphere and climate

A

containing all of the rock and crust of earth, the lithosphere absorbs higher-energy from the sun and emits back lower-energy IR radiation

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30
Q

land formations and climate zones

A

mountains affect weather by blocking rain (called the rain shadow effect)

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31
Q

altitude and climate zones

A

at a higher altitude pressure is lower so air is cooler (air expands and cools as it reaches higher)

32
Q

living things and the climate system

A

through photosynthesis and cellular respiration plants and animals change the relative amounts of gasses

33
Q

greenhouse effect

A

a natural process whereby gases and clouds absorb IR radiation emitted from Earth and radiate it, heating the atmosphere and Earth’s surface

34
Q

greenhouse gas

A

any gas in the atmosphere that absorbs IR (lower energy) radiation

35
Q

carbon sink

A

a reservoir that absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores the carbon in another form (eg forest)

36
Q

name the 5 greenhouse gases

A

carbon dioxide
water vapour
methane
ozone
nitrous oxide

37
Q

about two thirds of earths natural greenhouse effect is caused by

A

water vapour

38
Q

water vapour

A

water evaporates more readily when it is heated
when earths temp increases more water becomes water vapour
water vapour traps energy and heats the earth
(the cycle starts again)

39
Q

feedback loop

A

a process in which the result acts to influence the original cause

40
Q

a molecule of what is 23 times more powerful than a molecule of carbon dioxide (climate change)

A

methane

41
Q

how is methane produced

A

naturally by plant decomposition and digestion
unnaturally by industrial processes

42
Q

we know almost nothing about (climate change)

A

ozone

43
Q

a molecule of what is 300 times more powerful than a molecule of carbon dioxide

A

nitrous oxide

44
Q

how is nitrous oxide produced

A

naturally by reactions of bacteria in soil and water
unnaturally by industrial processes

45
Q

how do greenhouse gases trap IR radiation?

A

greenhosue gases consist of 3 or more atoms so they vibraste in all sorts of directions, catching radiation and throwing it everywhere

46
Q

heat sink

A

a reservoir that absorbs and store thermal energy

47
Q

what keeps all of earth at a relatively similar temperature if there are so many factors making temperature change?

A

air and ocean circulation transports thermal energy all over the world

48
Q

energy transfer in water (atmosphere)

A

when water is unevenly heated, a current forms. warm water is less dense than cold water, but when it lifts, it cools, and then sinks back down creating a loop

49
Q

energy transfer in the atmosphere

A

similar to water, hot air rises, but once it is risen it cools and sinks back down, pushing cold air up and making a loop. this is called a convection current

50
Q

convection current

A

a circular current in air and other fluids caused by the rising of warm fluids as cold fluids sink

51
Q

prevailing winds and climate zones

A

as prevailing winds go to different regions, they pick up gases and transfer thermal energy

52
Q

energy transfer in the oceans

A

when water goes towards the poles, it gets colder and saltier, which makes it dense, which makes it sink. this sinking leads to different water lifting and creation of a loop

53
Q

thermohaline circulation

A

the continuous flow of water around the world’s oceans driven by differences in water temperatures and salinity

54
Q

ocean currents and climate zones

A

ocean currents change the temperature of the air above them

55
Q

plate tectonics

A

the theory explaining the slow movement of the large plates of earths crust

56
Q

ice age

A

a time in earths history when earth is colder and much of the planet is covered in ice

57
Q

continental drift

A

the theory that earths continents used to be one supercontinent named pangea

58
Q

how does continental drift affect climate

A

differences in bodies of water in different hemispheres

59
Q

why do interglacial and ice age periods keep happening?

A

earth tilts and sometimes that tilt changes
earth is an oval orbit which results in sometimes being away from the sun

60
Q

short term variations in climate that affect earth

A

volcanic eruptions
air and ocean currents changing
changes in the suns radiation

61
Q

el nino

A

a recurring change int he pacific winds and ocean currents that brings warm moist air to the west coast of south america

62
Q

when does el nino happen

A

every 3 to 7 years

63
Q

when does an interglacial period or an ice age happen (about)

A

100k years

64
Q

albedo

A

a measure of ow much of the suns radiation is reflected by a surface

65
Q

albedo affect warming

A

ice melts
less is reflected
heat increases

66
Q

albedo affect cooling

A

more ice forms
more is reflected
temperature decreases

67
Q

studying clues to past climate

A

paintings/human stuff
ice cores
tree rings
coral reefs
rock and sediment
fossils

68
Q

proxy record

A

stores of information in different things liek fossils that can be measured to give clues to what the climate was like in the past

69
Q

scientists have recorded climate since

A

200 years ago

70
Q

non-quantitative measurements of climate and weather

A

proxy records

71
Q

ice cores for climate

A

scientists cut ice cores to test the bubbles of ancient gas trapped in there and see the ratios of each gas
also oxygen is heavier or lighter based on temperature so they measure that

72
Q

the bottom of an ice core may be up to __ years old

A

800k years old

73
Q

tree rings for climate

A

tree rings grow each year, and are thickest in years with good growing conditions

74
Q

coral reefs for climate

A

layers of coral grow each years and their growth rates depend on the temperature of the ocean water around them

75
Q

rock, ocean sediment and caves

A

each layer of rock or crust mayu contain things like plant pollen or fossils to tell temperature and conditions

sci exam review (8 decks)

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