Climate Change Unit 4 Flashcards
Define: weather
The day to day changes in temperature and precipitation and how that will affect people in the near future
Define: climate
The average amounts of precipitation and the average temperature of a region for that time of year
Define: global warming
A rise in average annual temperature of the Earth caused by human activity and natural events
Define: desertification
When areas get less rain and cause grass lands to turn into deserts
Define: anthropogenic greenhouse effect
Enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect due to gas emissions caused by human activity
Define: carbon source
A process that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere ex. Burning fossil fuels
Define: carbon sink
Process that takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it ex. Photosynthesis
Define: natural greenhouse effect
The fact that the earth acts like a greenhouse to keep heat in the atmosphere to sustain life
Define: conduction
Transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between the particles of a substance without moving the particles to a new location
Define: convection
Transfer of thermal energy through the movement of particles from one location to another
Define: radiation
Emission of energy as waves
Define: coriolis effect
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
Define: heat waves
A prolonged period of excessively hot weather which may result in crop failures and deaths (from hyperthermia or stroke)
Define: drought
A prolonged period of time without precipitation (areas near deserts are especially vulnerable to droughts)
Define: wild fires
Heat waves and droughts contribute to wildfires
Define: positive feedback loop
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
Define: melt water flooding
Rapid melting in the spring of excess winter precipitation and results in floods
What are the 5 main types of greenhouse gas?
Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Methane Nitrogen oxide/Sulphur oxide Water vapour
What is carbon dioxide?
It is naturally from living organisms, volcanoes and decaying organisms but are also put into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels
What is carbon monoxide?
It has no natural source but is man made from burning fossil fuels for industry and transportation
What is methane?
It is naturally found from decomposing bacteria and swamps but I’d also man made by decomposing waste in landfill sites
What is nitrogen oxide and Sulphur oxide?
It is naturally found from bacteria in oceans and swamps but is also added by burning g fossil fuels
What is water vapour?
It is snturally foud as evaporation from oceans, lakes and a rivers and has no man made source
What are the main human activities that add to the effects of climate change?
- Burning fossil fuels for energy for transportation, factories and powering our homes
- Burning forested areas to use for farm land or construction of buildings
- Making lots of waste for landfills
How does global warming,ingredients interrupt the earth’s cycle?
- 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
What are some effects of global warming?
- Melting polar ice caps ( raises sea levels)
- Weather extremes ( more hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.)
- Desertion
- Loss of habitat (causes more endangered species)
What is albedo?
The refraction of solar energy reflected from the earth back into space
What are 3 surfaces with a high albedo?
1.ice
2.snow
3.
