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Climate Emergency Flashcards

1
Q

The climate system can be though of as a [] that drives heat between the equator and the poles

A

Heat engine

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2
Q

This engine powers [] and [] circulation, giving rise to our climate

A

Wind and ocean circulation

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3
Q

Albedo is a measure of . . .

A

The reflection of solar radiation, relative to the total radiation received

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4
Q

On the albedo scale, what is 0-1 ?

A

1- reflects all radiation
Snow
Ice
Greenery
Soil
Water
0- black body

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5
Q

[]% of the earth’s atmosphere is []km from its surface

A

90%

12km

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6
Q

All bodies lose heat to their surroundings through []

A

Radiation

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7
Q

What aspect of radiation varies with the bodies temperature?

A

Colour

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8
Q

The sun at []K loses most of its energy in the [] spectrum

A

5778K

Visible spectrum

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9
Q

Normal bodies emit what type of radiation?

A

Infra-red

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10
Q

Glass is transparent to which radiation type, but opaque to which other type?

A

Transparent to visible glass

Opaque to infra red

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11
Q

The earth’s atmosphere has [] which are transparent to [] but opaque to []

A

Trace gases

Sunlight

Infra-red

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12
Q

Trace gases which are opaque to infra-red radiation from bodies close to Earths surface temperatures are called

A

Green house gases

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13
Q

Explain the greenhouse gas effect on a greenhouse

A

Interior warms from short wavelength solar radiation

Glass absorbs longer wavelength radiation

Incoming energy is trapped

Interior temp rises until rate of heat loss = incident radiation

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14
Q

Elevation of surface temp due to atmospheric optical properties is the [], it is why the Earth is []°C but the moon is []°C

A

Greenhouse gas effect

12

-28

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15
Q

What is the most potent GHG?

A

Water vapour

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16
Q

What is the water vapour cycle

A

Higher vapour conc. in air

Traps more heat

Higher temp causes evaporation of sea water

More evaporation, more vapour in the air

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17
Q

What are the other GHGs?

A

CO2

CH4

CFC & N2O

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18
Q

What is climate forcing?

A

It is the extra solar radiation needed to obtain the same temperature elevation of the atm. Without the GH effect

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19
Q

(Climate temp + rise due to GHE )

is equal to

A

Climate temp + forcing

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20
Q

Climate forcing is a function of [] conc. in the atm.

A

CO2

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21
Q

What is the forcing equation?

A

ΔF= 5.35ln( C/Co)

Where C is the conc. of CO2 in the atm.

And Co is pre-industrial conc.

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22
Q

Why does the forcing equation follow a logarithmic variation?

A

CO2 absorption is nearly saturated.

By comparison, increase with forcing for other GHGs is much sharper

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23
Q

What is climate sensitivity?

A

The global temp rise resulting from forcing equivalent to doubling CO2 conc. over pre-industrial levels

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24
Q

CH4 has a lifetime of

A

12 years eve for it is oxidised by CO2

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25
What are CFCs?
Chlorofluorocarbons
26
What are the three stable climate states that could arise in geological timescales?
Snowball earth Grounded/floating ice and sea level Runaway greenhouse effect (yeehaw)
27
What happens in the snowball earth climate state
Proves that the earths surface was entirely frozen at least once Associated with a low GHG conc. Ice-albedo feedback causes the ice cover of the earth
28
What happens in the grounded/floating ice and sea level state
If arctic melted, Earth’s albedo would change but not sea level This is because floating ice displaces the same volume as melted ice Sea level depends on fresh water locked in ground ice (glaciers)
29
What happens in the runaway greenhouse effect ?
This is a state where the feedback between surface temp and atmospheric opacity increases. Until GHE is so strong that the ocean boils away. This is thought to have happened on Venus
30
The use of fossil fuels has increased atm. CO2 from [] to [] ppm
278 - 415 ppm THATS ALMOST DOUBLE
31
CO2 in the atmosphere will stay a problem even if emission stopped, true of false?
True
32
Even if the world were to stabilise emission . . .
CO2 would continue to accumulate, so we must also work on removing CO2 from the atmosphere
33
What causes sea levels to rise?
Ice sheet melt Sea water expansion (due to warming)
34
If large ice caps melt, land on Earth has been [], causing a corresponding [] of the Earth
redistributed deformation This is because areas of high pressure (ice caps) are redistributed
35
in what year is there a risk of 0.5m sea level rise?
2050
36
What are two predicted consequences of rising sea levels?
increased frequency and intensity of storm surges projected 800M people at risk
37
What does an amplified hydrological cycle involve?
higher temp more evaporation increased precipitation higher frequency and intensity of extreme events (storms, flooding, hurricanes)
38
What is the main contributor to 1C rise of global average temperature?
rising levels of greenhouse gases
39
CO2 makes up for what proportion of GHGs in the atmosphere?
2/3
40
CH4 has caused what proportion of warming?
1/4
41
CH4 is [] times more potent than CO2 over its [] year lifespan
80 times 20 year
42
Engineers must . . .
reduce FF emissions, whilst making the transition to lower carbon fuels easier Reduce cost of lower carbon tech
43
It is not enough for Engineering solutions to just tackle today's problems, the must meet future needs and have built in []
resilience
44
following a []C increase in average global temp . . . What happens to the weather cycle’s viability for influencing design?
2°C the 20-50 year weather cycle will no longer be a suitable basis for design
45
Argiculture, fossil fuels and deforestation cause
GHG emissions
46
GHG emissions cause
Global warming, climate change
47
GW, climate change cause the following environmental effects
habitat destruction, ocean acidification Intensified weather events glacial retreat coral bleaching Pest propagation
48
Habitat destruction leads to
biodiversity loss ecosystem collapse
49
GW, climate change cause the positive feedback effects of
snow cover reduction, lower global albedo water vapour increase permafrost melt, methane release
50
glacial retreat leads to
sea level rise
51
pest propagation leads to
disease
52
sea level rise leads to
flooded land, crop failure
53
flooded land and crop failure give rise to
human migration and conflict
54
intensified weather events lead to
direct human harm
55
What is the estimated CO2 content in GigaTonnes for the atmosphere
600
56
What is the estimated CO2 content in GigaTonnes for vegetation
700
57
What is the estimated CO2 content in GigaTonnes for soils
3000
58
What is the estimated CO2 content in GigaTonnes for accessible fossil fuels
1600
59
What is the estimated CO2 content in GigaTonnes for the Ocean
40,000
60
how many gigatonnes of carbon per year does fossil fuels put into the atmosphere?
8.4
61
how many gigatonnes of carbon per year does the atmosphere put into the ocean?
2
62
What is the forcing contribution of CO2 in Wm^-2 ?
1.9
63
What is the forcing contribution of CH4 in Wm^-2 ?
0.5
64
What is the forcing contribution of CFC in Wm^-2 ?
0.9

Energy & Environment (13 decks)

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