Global CO2

Question 1

What is the Latitude?

Answer 1

Angular distance North and South of Equator. The max is 90º N & S

Question 2

What is the Longitude?

Answer 2

Angular distance to the East or West of 0º. There is a max of 180º E & W

Question 3

What are lines of longitude called?

Answer 3

Meridians

Question 4

What are the seven important natural reference points?

Answer 4

North Pole, Arctic Circle, Tropic of Cancer, Equator, Tropic of Capricorn, Antarctic Circle, South Pole

Question 5

What is the special latitude of the north pole?

Answer 5

90º N

Question 6

What is the special latitude of the Arctic Circle?

Answer 6

66.5º N

Question 7

What is the special latitude of the Tropic of Cancer?

Answer 7

23.5º N

Question 8

What is the special latitude of the Equator

Answer 8

0º

Question 9

What is the special latitude of the Tropic of Capricorn?

Answer 9

23.5º S

Question 10

What is the special latitude of the Antarctic Circle?

Answer 10

66.5º S

Question 11

What is the special latitude of the South Pole?

Answer 11

90º S

Question 12

What are the two special meridians?

Answer 12

1. Prime Meridian: 0º Longitude

2. International Date Line:180º (maximum value)

Question 13

What is weather?

Answer 13

Short term view of atmospheric conditions for a given place at a given time (a few days out to a week)

Question 14

What is the climate?

Answer 14

A composite view of atmospheric conditions over many years.

Question 15

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 15

It is an envelope of gases that surrounds the earth and is held in place by gravity

Question 16

What are the layers of the atmosphere going from the earth up?

Answer 16

Earth, Troposphere, Stratosphere, Ozone Layer, Mesosphere, Ionosphere

Question 17

What is unique about the troposphere?

Answer 17

It is where weather happens.

Question 18

What is the function of the atmosphere?

Answer 18

It protects Earth’s surface from dangerous high energy radiation (most UV, X-rays, Gamma), which facilitates life

Question 19

What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?

Answer 19

Nitrogen (N2) - 78.084%

Question 20

What are some important rare “trace” (<1%) gases?

Answer 20

1. Carbon dioxide (CO2) (most abundant)
2. Ozone
3. Water Vapor

Question 21

What does CO2 do in the atmosphere?

Answer 21

CO2 traps heat near earth’s surface

Question 22

For the greenhouse effect, what doe short waves and long waves do in the atmosphere?

Answer 22

1. Short waves (from the sun) pass through atmosphere

2. Long waves (from earth) are trapped in and create heat

Question 23

What are some benefits of having CO2 in the atmosphere?

Answer 23

1. It keeps heat energy from escaping earth (like a blanket)

2. It is necessary for plants to conduct photosynthesis, provides energy for most food webs on earth

Question 24

What is known about the Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 24

1. CO2 keeps earth warmer than it would be otherwise

2. CO2 concentrations are on the rise

Question 25

How do we know about the Greenhouse Effect? Give two ways we can get data.

Answer 25

We have monitoring stations around the globe and we collect data through satelites

Question 26

What evidence is there about long-term history of CO2?

Answer 26

There are bubbles in ice cores from up to 3600m deep in Vostok, Antarctic. Ice preserves samples of past atmosphere composition,

Question 27

What does the antarctic ice core data show?

Answer 27

That temperature and CO2 rise and fall together over the past 400,000 years

Question 28

What is the cause of this increase in CO2?

Answer 28

Fossil fuels are the biggest contributor to the rise of CO2. Deforestation also accounts to 25% of the increase of CO2.

Question 29

Who are the top CO2 emitters in the world?

Answer 29

Top five: China, United States, India, Russia, and Japan.

Question 30

Why does deforestation cause an increase in CO2?

Answer 30

Forests change to built-landscapes and agriculture. Trees burn or rot and release carbon.

Question 31

What are some natural (non-human) sources of gases and particulates?

Answer 31

Volcanoes, forest fires, plants, decaying plants, soil, ocean.

Question 32

What are natural cycles?

Answer 32

Nonhuman forces that also cause climate change

Question 33

The vast majority of scientists do not believe that increased CO2 is causing climatic warming. True/ False

Answer 33

False, they do believe increased CO2 is causing climatic warming

Question 34

Where is global warming going?

Answer 34

Oceans - 93.4% Atmosphere - 2.3% Continents - 2.1% Other - 2.1%

Question 35

How much has global sea level increased over the last 100 years?

Answer 35

10-25cm

Question 36

Why do sea levels rise?

Answer 36

Because glaciers melt

Question 37

What do records of declining glaciers throughout the world show?

Answer 37

That there is warming and tremendous change

Question 38

What areas in the world are most vulnerable to sea level rise?

Answer 38

Coastal areas

Question 39

What are some possible benefits from global warming for agriculture?

Answer 39

Enhanced CO2 means greater yields, longer growing seasons, increased rainfall

Question 40

What are some possible drawbacks from global warming for agriculture?

Answer 40

More frequent droughts, heat stress, shortened life cycles, increase flooding and salinization

Question 41

So in summary, what are the potential impacts of global warming?

Answer 41

1. sea level rise, especially around coastal areas 2. loss of habitat in forests and natural areas 3. less water supplies and quality of water 4. more crop yields but less water for irrigation 5. health risks, weather-related mortality, infectious diseases