Climate Change Unit 4 Flashcards

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1
Q

Define: weather

A

The day to day changes in temperature and precipitation and how that will affect people in the near future

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2
Q

Define: climate

A

The average amounts of precipitation and the average temperature of a region for that time of year

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3
Q

Define: global warming

A

A rise in average annual temperature of the Earth caused by human activity and natural events

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4
Q

Define: desertification

A

When areas get less rain and cause grass lands to turn into deserts

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5
Q

Define: anthropogenic greenhouse effect

A

Enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect due to gas emissions caused by human activity

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6
Q

Define: carbon source

A

A process that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere ex. Burning fossil fuels

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7
Q

Define: carbon sink

A

Process that takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it ex. Photosynthesis

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8
Q

Define: natural greenhouse effect

A

The fact that the earth acts like a greenhouse to keep heat in the atmosphere to sustain life

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9
Q

Define: conduction

A

Transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between the particles of a substance without moving the particles to a new location

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10
Q

Define: convection

A

Transfer of thermal energy through the movement of particles from one location to another

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11
Q

Define: radiation

A

Emission of energy as waves

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12
Q

Define: coriolis effect

A

The idea that the direction of the wind coming down from the poles is influenced by the rotation of the Earth Earth so in the northern hemisphere it cause the wind to go to the right

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13
Q

Define: heat waves

A

A prolonged period of excessively hot weather which may result in crop failures and deaths (from hyperthermia or stroke)

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14
Q

Define: drought

A

A prolonged period of time without precipitation (areas near deserts are especially vulnerable to droughts)

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15
Q

Define: wild fires

A

Heat waves and droughts contribute to wildfires

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16
Q

Define: positive feedback loop

A

When the consequences of global warming accelerate global warming faster. Ex. When a carbon source (wildfire) removes a carbon sink (trees and plants) so there are less carbon sinks to get rid of it

17
Q

Define: melt water flooding

A

Rapid melting in the spring of excess winter precipitation and results in floods

18
Q

What are the 5 main types of greenhouse gas?

A
Carbon dioxide 
Carbon monoxide  
Methane 
Nitrogen oxide/Sulphur oxide 
Water vapour
19
Q

What is carbon dioxide?

A

It is naturally from living organisms, volcanoes and decaying organisms but are also put into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels

20
Q

What is carbon monoxide?

A

It has no natural source but is man made from burning fossil fuels for industry and transportation

21
Q

What is methane?

A

It is naturally found from decomposing bacteria and swamps but I’d also man made by decomposing waste in landfill sites

22
Q

What is nitrogen oxide and Sulphur oxide?

A

It is naturally found from bacteria in oceans and swamps but is also added by burning g fossil fuels

23
Q

What is water vapour?

A

It is snturally foud as evaporation from oceans, lakes and a rivers and has no man made source

24
Q

What are the main human activities that add to the effects of climate change?

A
  1. Burning fossil fuels for energy for transportation, factories and powering our homes
  2. Burning forested areas to use for farm land or construction of buildings
  3. Making lots of waste for landfills
25
Q

How does global warming,ingredients interrupt the earth’s cycle?

A
  • it starts to happen when carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere faster than it can be taken away or used
  • as greenhouse gas es build up the layer surrounding the earth gets Thicker and traps more heat in
26
Q

What are some effects of global warming?

A
  1. Melting polar ice caps ( raises sea levels)
  2. Weather extremes ( more hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.)
  3. Desertion
  4. Loss of habitat (causes more endangered species)
27
Q

What is albedo?

A

The refraction of solar energy reflected from the earth back into space

28
Q

What are 3 surfaces with a high albedo?

A

1.ice
2.snow
3.