Climate Change Exam Review Science Flashcards
What is albedo
A measure of how much of the sun’s radiation is reflected by a surface
What is the albedo effect
- The positive feedback loop between ice on earth’s surface and earth’s average temperature
- The positive feedback loop in which an increase in earth’s temperature causes ice to melt, so more radiation is absorbed by earth’s surface, leading to further increase in temperature
How will melting arctic ice effect the earth
- water shortages could occur as many people rely on them for water
- flooding especially in low lying countries
- increase temperature
- as the melted ice sheets on land melt water runs into the ocean causing the sea level to rise
- Water expands when it warms up which is responsible for most of the sea level rise. This is called thermal expansion (the increase in the volume of matter as its temperature increases)
What is a greenhouse gas?
any gas in the atmosphere (such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, and methane) that absorbs lower energy infrared radiation
What do greenhouses do
Absorb lower energy infrared radiation. They cause the greenhouse effect (a natural process whereby gases and clouds absorb infrared radiation emitted from earth’s surface and radiate it, heating the atmosphere and earth’s surface.
What is the natural greenhouse effect
A natural process that warms the earth’s surface
The atmosphere allows much of the higher energy radiation to pass through it. This radiation is absorbed by earth’s surface, becoming thermal energy. As a result the earth’s surface warms up
THINK GLASS GREENHOUSE
What is the human greenhouse effect
Increased Greenhouse Gas Concentrations
Thus causes an enhanced greenhouse effect. Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, increase the concentration of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
What is the anthropogenic greenhouse eeffcr
the increase in the amount of lower-energy infrared radiation trapped by the atmosphere as a result of higher levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities, which is leading to an increase in earth’s average global temperature
What is a main producer of CO2
-burning fossil fuels, deforestation, changes in land
-Power plants, vehicles, industrial processes, land use changes
What is a main producer of methane
-Agricultural activities (livestock digestion and manure management), fossil fuel production and use, and certain industrial processes.
-Livestock (enteric fermentation), rice paddies, coal mining, and oil and gas extraction.
What is a main producer of nitrous oxide
Agricultural practices (use of nitrogen-based fertilisers), industrial processes, and waste treatment.
Agriculture (fertiliser application), industrial activities, and certain waste management processes.
WHat is a main source of water vapour
source: While water vapour is a natural component of the atmosphere, human activities indirectly influence its concentration through activities that release other greenhouse gases. However, water vapour’s role is primarily a result of natural processes.
What is weather
- Short term
- Atmospheric conditions
- Temperature, precipitation wind in a short period of time like a day or week
What is a feedback loop
A process in which the resultants to influence the original process
What is a positive feeback loop
A loop that reinforces the initial change
What is a negative feedback loop
Contrasts changes and gets equilibrium
tree rings
trees create one growth ring per year. They are thickest in years with good growing conditions like a warm wet year. On the other hand if it’s cold and dry the ring will be thinner. These trees live for thousands of years and this info can help us recognize the climate going back as far as 10,000 years.
coral reefs
Coral reefs also add layers of growth each season. Scientists drill cylinders of coral and study their layers. Info can help us determine the temperature of the surface ocean water when each layer was growing
rock
layers of rocks and soil build up on earth’s surface over time. Each layer may contain clues, like plant pollen or fossil fuels to the climate at that time in that location. Fossils of pollen grains can be used to identify plant switch have grown thousands of years previously
Ocean Sediment:
Layers of sediment drift to the ocean floor and form layers of rock. Scientists drill cores from this. They sometimes see fossils of marine life that lived in warmer water than the location where they are found today. This means the player containing these fossils formed during a water climate. This helps us paint a picture of earth’s climate over the past thousands of years.
caves
Rock formations grow as the minerals that are dissolved in dripping water solidify into rock. Scientists measure and date layer from these rocks. These formations grow faster in rainy weather. Thus helps determine the amount of precipitation
