Geography Climate Change Definitions

Question 1

Mitigation

Answer 1

Mitigation of climate change refers to efforts and strategies aimed at reducing or preventing the emission of greenhouse gases into the Earth’s atmosphere and minimizing the impact of human activities on the climate system. The goal of mitigation is to mitigate, or lessen, the extent of global warming and its associated adverse effects of the environment, ecosystems and human societies.

Question 2

Eccentricity

Answer 2

Shape of the earth’s orbit - affects yearly seasons

Question 3

Axial Tilt/Obliquity

Answer 3

The angle that Earth’s axis is tilted in respect to Earth’s orbital plane - affects extreme weather - bigger tilt = more extreme weather

Question 4

Precession

Answer 4

The direction Earth’s axis of rotation is pointed - affects seasonal contrast

Question 5

Climate Change

Answer 5

Climate change is the long-term change in weather. Global climate change occurs very slowly over thousands of years. Climate change is not only caused by humans, as natural climate change exists along with human causes of climate change.

Question 6

Milankovitch Cycle

Answer 6

The Earth wobbles and tilts on its axis due to a phenomenon called the Milankovitch cycle. These cycles happen because the Earth’s orbit is always changing, albeit unnoticeably. This affects how much sunlight different part of earth get at different seasons of the year while it orbits the Sun. The tilt of Earth’s axis also changes over a very long period of time, also influenced by the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon, which cause the Earth to bulge at the equator, also affecting its rotation. This tilt can change whether the season in a hemisphere is winter or summer. Lastly, precession is the direction in which the Earth’s axis of rotation is pointed. Right now, it is pointed towards the North Star, but over thousands of years it will change, also changing the timing of the seasons.

Question 7

Aphelion

Answer 7

July 4th - the day the Earth is the furthest away from the Sun

Question 8

Perhelion

Answer 8

Jan 3rd - the day the Earth is the closest to the Sun (+6% more sunlight than in July)

Question 9

Albedo effect

Answer 9

this is the effect caused by ice reflecting light back into space, decreasing the amount of radiation absorbed into the atmosphere.
- as ice is light, it does not absorb the light
- feedback loop
- retreating ice = decreased albedo effect
- more ice cover = lower temperatures

Question 10

Adaptation

Answer 10

Adaptation to climate change involves adjusting and modifying societal, economic, and environmental practices to cope with the impacts of climate change that are already occurring or anticipated in the future. Unlike mitigation, which focuses on addressing the root cause s of climate change, adaptation aims to enhance resilience an reduce vulnerability to the changing climate conditions. This process encompasses a wide range of strategies, including developing a climate resilient infrastructure, implementing early warning systems for extreme weather events, adjusting agricultural practices to change growing conditions and planning for rising sea levels and increased frequency of natural disasters. Additionally, adaptation efforts may involve community based initiates such as the development of heat-resilient housing and the promotion of sustainable water management practices.

Question 11

Global warming

Answer 11

Global warming is the result of human causes of climate change

Question 12

sunspots

Answer 12

Sunspots are areas where the magnetic field is about 2,500 times stronger than Earth’s

Question 13

milankovitch cycles official

Answer 13

Milankovitch cycles describe the collective effects of changes in the Earth’s movements on its climate over thousands of years