Climate Change (IA1) Flashcards
Define anthropogenic
A label given to something human caused or human induced
What is the ‘Goldilocks Zone’?
A zone that planets exist in which makes them liveable. Basically, planets possess factors which sustain life.
What is an epoch? And which epoch are we in?
Epochs are the names of given periods of time. The world is currently in the Anthropocene.
What are the five layers of the atmosphere (from top to bottom)?
- Exosphere
- Thermosphere
- Mesosphere
- Stratosphere
- Troposphere
What are three most significant greenhouse gasses? And what is their role in the atmosphere?
- Water vapour
- Carbon dioxide
- Methane
Their trap and retain heat, heating up the temperature of the atmosphere.
What is the carbon cycle?
the constant flow of different states/ forms carbon holds as its processed/ used
What are the contributing factors to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Burning fossil fuels
Agriculture
Deforestation
Industrial processes
whats the difference between weather and climate?
weather is singular to a day or a week whereas climate is representative of weather across it’s entire existence
What is intergenerational equity?
Each generation of people should have the opportunity to use the resources of the planet. Present generations have an implied responsibility to future generations to ensure the world is habitable and that resources are used wisely
what is the difference between lander cover and land use?
cover identifies the different materials on the surface of the Earth, use explains how people use an area for economic, social, or cultural purposes
what are the different biomes?
- Tropical rainforest
- Temperate rainforest
- Desert
- Tundra
- Taiga (boreal rainforest)
- Grassland
- Savanna/ tropical grassland
- Freshwater
- Marine
- Ice
which factors have the biggest impacts on climate?
Latitude
Distance to the sea
Elevation from sea level
Proximity to ocean currents
why does deforestation occur?
- The land is seen as unused
- Population pressure
- Poverty leads to exploitation
- Large companies seek to use land that is relatively cheap and provides jobs and development which is appealing to governments
- Poor government management - - Timber exploitation
- Release land for grazing
- Release land for plantation crops
- Road building
- Mining
what are some alternatives to deforestation?
- Ecotourism
- Adventure tourism
- Charitable preservation
- Local preservation – financial incentives
- Government preservation
- Sustainable forest use – smaller scale, non-permanent land use
- Selective exploitation – sustainable harvesting
