Global warming

Question 1

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 1

It is when radiation emitted by the Earth is absorbed or reflected back within the atmosphere, some radiation from the Sun passes through the atmosphere and contributes to the Earth’s radiation, all causing the Earth to heat up

Question 2

What is principal frequency?

Answer 2

Everything emits some electromagnetic radiation with a range of frequencies, the principal frequency is the one with the greatest intensity, principal frequency increases with increasing tempearture

Question 3

What are greenhouse gases and what are 3 main greenhouse gases?

Answer 3

They are gases that collect in the atmosphere and reflect back radiation into the atmosphere, stopping heat from escaping, carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour are 3 main examples

Question 4

How has the level of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere changed over time?

Answer 4

For thousands of years the level of carbon dioxide has been steady as the rates of absorption and release have been constant. In the last 200 years, the level has been increasing

Question 5

Why has the level of carbon dioxide been increasing in the past 200 years?

Answer 5

Due to increased burning of fossil fuels as an energy source and cutting down or burning down forests to clear land (deforestation)

Question 6

What are the potential affects global warming could have?

Answer 6

It being impossible to continue growing some crops in some areas because of
climate change,
more extreme weather events,
flooding of low lying land as continental ice is melting