Global Warming

Question 1

What is the atmosphere

Answer 1

The atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the Earth that is held in place by gravity.

Question 2

What are the 3 greenhouse gases

Answer 2

• Carbon dioxide
• water Vapor
• methane

Question 3

Describe the greenhouse effect

Answer 3

1) Solar radiation from the sun passes through the atmosphere and hits the earth.
2) Some of this energy is reflected straight back towards space, while some is absorbed by the earth and then reemitted towards space.
3) Some of the reemitted energy makes it all the way to space, but much is absorbed by small molecules called greenhouse gases.
4) These molecules then reemit the energy and the whole process of absorption and emission can happen over and over again.
5) This trapped energy keeps the atmosphere warmer and more stable than it would otherwise be.

Question 4

What is the difference between global warming and climate change?

Answer 4

• Global warming = overall increase in the earth’s temperature
• Climate change = consequence of global warming: effects on the climate, e.g. large-scale shifts in weather patterns

Question 5

What is the effect of the ice caps melting due to global warming

Answer 5

This will increase the volume of water in the ocean and could lead to seasonal flooding, or the submersion of entire islands. This is made worse by the fact that water expands when it is heated, so it will also increase in volume.

Question 6

What is the difference between the climate and the weather?

Answer 6

-Weather = short term atmospheric conditions, like whether it’s raining or sunny on a particular day
- Climate = the typical weather conditions in an entire region for a very long time

Question 7

How do humans produce CO2

Answer 7

• burning fossil fuels
• deforestation

Question 8

Describe the trend of global warming

Answer 8

• increase of CO2 with temp, the line gets steeper
• it fluctuates, but overall it is a steady rise

Question 9

What are some of the consequences of global warming

Answer 9

• loss of habitat
• change in distribution of food
• change in migration patterns
• reduced biodiversity

Question 10

How may there be a loss of habitat due to global warming

Answer 10

• low lying areas may be flooded by rising sea levels
• ice melting

Question 11

How might there be a change in distribution due to global warming

Answer 11

• some insects are sensitive to temp, so they have too move. This then effects the birds eating them

Question 12

What does change in migrations patterns do, due to global warming

Answer 12

• migration can be dictated by temp
• change in temp patterns lead to change in migration patterns

Question 13

How might there be reduced biodiversity due to global warming

Answer 13

Some species can’t deal with temp changes