Global climate-vulnerability and resiliance

Question 1

the atmosphere

Answer 1

A mixture of liquids, solids and gases that surrounds the Earth.

Question 2

the four parts of the atmosphere

Answer 2

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

Question 3

What layer of the earth do we live in?

Answer 3

Troposphere

Question 4

Insolation

Answer 4

Incoming solar radiation

Question 5

How is energy redistributed across the globe?

Answer 5

Wind circulation and ocean currents

Question 6

What is an open system

Answer 6

An open system is one that accepts input from external sources and produces output. Such as the ocean and the atmosphere.

Question 7

radiation the sun emits

Answer 7

Short wave - it has a higher energy

Question 8

radiation the sun emits

Answer 8

Short wave - it has a higher energy

Question 9

radiation the earth emits

Answer 9

Long wave - it has lower energy

Question 10

Convection

Answer 10

Transfer of heat by movement of a gas or liquid

Question 11

Conduction

Answer 11

Transfer of heat by contact

Question 12

Greenhouse effect

Answer 12

Natural situation in which heat is retained in Earth’s atmosphere by carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and other gases

Question 13

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 13

Occurs as a result of increased quantities of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere owing to human activities and their impact on these fragile atmospheric systems

Question 14

What is energy balance?

Answer 14

The balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from the atmosphere

Question 15

Atmospheric energy budget

Answer 15

Balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation

Question 16

What % of shortwave radiation reaches the ground?

Answer 16

46%

Question 17

What % of short-wave radiation is re-radiated to the atmosphere and lost to space?

Answer 17

14%

Question 18

What happens to the sun’s energy when it reaches the earth?

Answer 18

Some is reflected by clouds, some is absorbed, or scattered by atmosphere, some reflected by the earth, some absorbed by the earth

Question 19

How does cloud cover affect the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth?

Answer 19

Less clouds and high clouds mean that more radiation reaches the Earth

Question 20

What affects the amount of insolation?

Answer 20

Latitude, season, cloud cover, cloud type, angle of the sun

Question 21

Adaptation

Answer 21

measures to reduce the vulnerability of human and natural systems to climate change.

Question 22

Albedo

Answer 22

The amount of incoming solar energy reflected back into the atmosphere by the Earth’s surface.

Question 23

Anthropogenic

Answer 23

Human-related processes

Question 24

Global warming

Answer 24

The increase in temperatures around the world that has been noticed since the 1960s, particularly since the 1980s.

Question 25

Mitigation

Answer 25

Attempts to reduce the causes of climate change

Question 26

Resilience

Answer 26

The ability of a population, human or natural system to absorb change without having to make a fundamental change.

Question 27

Vulnerability

Answer 27

The degree to which a human or natural system is unable to cope with the impacts of climate change.