Global warming

Question 1

What do greenhouse gases do and some examples?

Answer 1

• Greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation from the sun so it remains trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere
• Examples: water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane

Question 2

What human activities have increased the concentration of greenhouse gases in out atmosphere?

Answer 2

• Carbon dioxide is produced via the combustion of fossil fuels
• Methane is produced by cattle and rice fields

Question 3

What is the greenhouse effect and how does it cause global warming?

Answer 3

• The sun emits heat in the method of solar radiation towards the Earth
• Some of this radiation is absorbed by the Earth but most is reflected off the Earth’s surface
• This radiation is than absorbed by greenhouse gases and then re-emited in random directions
• The radiation then get absorbed again by other greenhouse gases and the process repeats
• This keeps heat in the atmosphere and keeps the Earth at a stable temperature
• Due to human activity, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is increasing, leading to an increased greenhouse effect and global temperatures rising

Question 4

Effects of global warming

Answer 4

• Natural disasters become more frequent and severe
• Sea level rising as ice caps melt and when water heats up it expands
• Species go extinct as they cannot adapt quick enough to changing conditions

Question 5

Global warming vs climate change

Answer 5

• Global warming is the increase in average temperatures across the globe
• Climate change is the change in long term weather patterns due to global warming

Question 6

Weather vs climate

Answer 6

• Weather is the short term atmospheric conditions in a particular area
• Climate is the typical weather patterns over an entire region over a long time