Global Climate

Question 1

What is the first layer of the Atmosphere? (closest to Earth’s surface)

Answer 1

The Troposphere

Question 2

What is the second layer of the Atmosphere?

Answer 2

The Stratosphere

Question 3

What is the third layer of the Atmosphere?

Answer 3

The Mesosphere

Question 4

What is the fourth layer of the Atmosphere?

Answer 4

The Thermosphere

Question 5

What is the fifth layer of the Atmosphere? (furthest from the Earth’s surface)

Answer 5

The Exosphere

Question 6

What are the properties of the Troposphere?

Answer 6

• Most weather processes take place here

- Fall in temperature with height as atmosphere thins

Question 7

What are the properties of the Stratosphere?

Answer 7

• Lacks dust and water vapour
• Stable
• Thin
• Increase in temperature with height due to the absorption of solar radiation

Question 8

What are the properties of the Mesosphere?

Answer 8

The temperature decreases because decreasing density prevents the absorption of energy

Question 9

What are the properties of the Thermosphere?

Answer 9

• A virtual vacuum

- Rise in absorbed energy due to energised short wave radiation

Question 10

What are the properties of the Exosphere?

Answer 10

• very cold
• contains gases such as hydrogen and helium
• no air to breathe

Question 11

What is incoming solar radiation also called?

Answer 11

Insolation

Question 12

What type of radiation comes from the Sun to the Earth?

Answer 12

Short-wave Radiation

Question 13

What does short-wave radiation mean?

Answer 13

Incoming solar radiation (insolation) is the main energy input and it is affected by latitude, season and cloud cover

Question 14

What does long-wave radiation mean?

Answer 14

It refers to the radiation of energy from the Earth into the atmosphere, and some of it eventually into space

Question 15

What does convection mean?

Answer 15

The transfer of heat by the movement of a gas

Question 16

What does conduction mean?

Answer 16

The transfer of heat by contact

Question 17

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 17

It is the process by which certain gases allow short-wave radiation from the Sun to pass through the atmosphere but trap an increasing proportion of outgoing long-wave radiation from the Earth

Question 18

How do the Greenhouse Effect and the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect differ?

Answer 18

The enhanced greenhouse effect is the impact of increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as a result of human activities which leads to global warming

The more gasses there are in the o-zone layer, the more heat is trapped, making the Earth warmer.

Question 19

What are some greenhouse gases?

Answer 19

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• Methane (CH4)
• Nitrogen Oxide (NO)

Question 20

What would happen if we didn’t have the greenhouse effect?

Answer 20

Without the greenhouse effect, the Earth’s temperature would be about 30ºC less.

Question 21

What does global dimming mean?

Answer 21

Global dimming is the gradual reduction in the amount of insolation on the Earth’s surface due to the suspension of aerosols in the atmosphere causing the incoming insolation to diffuse on the clouds, stopping heat from reaching the Earth’s surface. This cools the Earth.

Question 22

The Albedo Effect Feedback Loop:

Answer 22

Warming:

• Less snow/ice cover
• Darker surface
• More heat absorption

Cooling:

• More snow/ice cover
• Lighter surface
• More reflection

Question 23

The Solar Constant (sunspots) Feedback Loop:

Answer 23

Warming:

• More sunspots
• More radiation
• Warmer temperature

Cooling

• Fewer sunspots
• Less radiation
• Lower temperature

Question 24

The distance from the Sun:

- Global energy balance

Answer 24

Warming:

• Circular Orbit
• Smaller distance
• More solar radiation

Cooling:

• Elliptical Orbit
• Greater distance
• Less solar radiation

Question 25

The Earths Tilt:

- Global energy balance

Answer 25

Warming:
- The more the tilt, the more insolation is concentrated on the equator

Cooling
- The less the tilt, the less insolation is concentrated on the equator

Question 26

Volcanic Eruptions:

- Global energy balance

Answer 26

Warming:

• Release of greenhouse gases
• Traps heat
• Warms the Earth

Cooling:

• Ash blanket
• Reflects insolation
• Cools Earth

Question 27

What is a positive feedback loop?

Answer 27

A positive feedback loop speeds up global warming

Question 28

What is a negative feedback loop?

Answer 28

A negative feedback loop slows down global warming

Question 29

What is an example of a negative feedback loop?

Answer 29

Burning, leading to more aerosols and thus reduced solar radiation at the surface, thereby causing cooling. Dust is released when burning and it causes the insolation to reflect off the dust and reduce the amount of insolation reaching the Earth.

Aerosols are a suspension of liquid droplets in the air.

Question 30

What is an example of a positive feedback loop?

Answer 30

The Ice-Albedo Effect.

The shiny surface of the ice reflects a lot of incoming insolation (roughly 70%) in comparison the rest of the Earths surfaces (i.e. land and sea). With the ice caps melting, there is a decrease in the ice-albedo meaning that less insolation is going to be reflected back into space. This increases global warming as more heat is being absorbed by the Earth’s surfaces.