EQ1 - 1.3 Global Climate Is Now Changing As A Result Of Human Activity, And There Is Uncertainty About Future Climates Flashcards
What is the atmosphere?
A layer of gases above the Earth’s surface.
What is meant by the greenhouse effect?
The way that gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun.
Gases act like the glass in an greenhouse, they let heat in but prevent most of it from getting out.
Which gases make up the atmosphere and how so they contribute towards it?
Nitrogen - 78.1% - Important nutrient for plant growth.
Carbon Dioxide - 0.03% - Taken in by plants which breathe out oxygen.
Oxygen - 20.9% - Breathed in by animals which breathe out carbon dioxide.
Water Vapour - 1% - forms clouds, essential to the water cycle.
How has agriculture adding to the greenhouse effect and global warming?
Methane is produced due to the farming of livestock.
Tress absorb and store CO2. When land is cleared of trees for agriculture it stops the absorption of CO2 which leaves more CO2 in the atmosphere.
Methane is 21x more warming power than CO2.
How has energy contributed to the greenhouse effect and global warming?
Carbon dioxide is produced and is 89% of the gases produced. Produced from burning fossil fuels.
How has transport contributed to the greenhouse effect and global warming?
Nitrous oxide produced. 250x more powerful than CO2 to warming power, these come from vehicles normally. From cars being more affordable and more people want to travel in a vehicle, the burning of fossil fuels in some way contributes to the greenhouse gases.
How does industry contribute to the greenhouse effect and global warming?
Halocarbons are produced which is 3000x more powerful than CO2’s warming power. Increased demand of production of consumer goods leads to more energy needed meaning more fossil fuels need to be burnt.
What evidence is there to show that humans are contributing to climate change?
10 hottest years have occurred since 1998.
Nine of the ten warmest years have been in the 21st century.
Temperatures have increased by nearly 2 degree since 1880 and expected to rise by 0.3 degrees to 4.8 degrees between 2005 and 2100.
By 2012 floating sea Ince in the artic had shrunk to less than half the amount in 1979.
Sea levels rose by 210mm from 1870 - 2010.
What is thermal expansion?
Expands and gets warmer.
