global climate change final exam Flashcards
What are the factors controlling temperature and climate change?
plastic asthenosphere, the sun, liquid water, and biotic evolution
ocean basins opening and closing due continental masses colliding amd roftomg apart; multidirectional process
supercontinent cycle (wilson cycle)
the interlinkage of the physical and biological
the earth system
how to describe changes
rate, type, frequency , agency
non reversible changes
creation of earth
`unidirectional changes
formation of the moon, evolution of atmosphere and oceans, evolution of life
chemical fluxes between living and non living invovle storage and transfer between reservoirs
biogeochemical cycles
types of biogeochemical cycles
hyrdologic cycle, carbon cycle
water moves between biological and physical reservoirs
hydrologic cycle
Plants and humans inverse relationship that cycles through breathing process and absorption techniques
the carbon cycle
how is carbon stored?
through forests, limestones, and fossil fuels
how is carbon returned to the atmosphere?
Buring fossil fuels, cutting down trees, humane breathing
methods to study climate?
Paleoclimates and computer simulations
investigation of past climate variation interpreted by datable earth materials that are climate sensitive
paleoclimates
aspects of paleoclimates
stratigraphic record, fossil record, oxygen isotopes, growth rings on trees
where is global warming occuring and why?
places where volcanic gases can trap heat, rifting and expanding mid ocean ridges, increased volcanic activity, burning fossil fuels, and population growth
sudden addition or remval of greenhouse gases can alter the climate
greenhouse effect
List the types of short term climate changes
large volcanic eruptions, variable ocean currents, variable green house gas concentration
largest catestrophic event in history
KT Cretaceous-Tertiary Boundary Event
How does plate tectonic tie in with Climate?
Change in position of the continents, volcanic gases trapping heat, Mountain building leads to increased weathering
List Anthropogenic Changes
Increased population, deforestation (carbon based), Pollution, acidification, radioactive, global warming
Why is population increase not necessarily good?
Humans used more resources than they need which burns more carbon and makes the world warmer, promoting global warming
Name ways that humans pollute the environment?
smog, fuel and oil, acid rain
How is global warming increasing?
Human green house gases, industrial revolution used carbon, more cars
3 evident of global warming
glacial retreat, more intense hurricanes, rising sea levels
