global warming and climate change

Question 1

greenhouse effect

Answer 1

suns heat comes to earth as light rays
mostly reflected from earths surface, partially absorbed and heats ground
most reflected hits gas in atmos, which absorbs energy
re-emit energy in random directions which mostly collides with more particles before leaving atmos
re-emission keeps heat close to earth and maintains a warm, stable temp

Question 2

greenhouse gases

Answer 2

methane
water vapour
carbon dioxide
responsible for global warming
- strengthens greenhouse effect, warms up earth as gases accumulate

Question 3

climate change

Answer 3

relating to effects of global warming on the climate

Question 4

effects of climate change

Answer 4

more frequent/ severe extreme weather events (floods,droughts,hurricaines)
sea levels rising - water expands as it heats up so takes up a larger volume + ice caps melt and flow into oceans
species may become extinct- no longer suitably adapted to their environment
( may be able to adapt or migrate to new regions but some are unable to migrate fast enough)
biodiversity will dramatically decrease

Question 5

land use

Answer 5

towns and cities
quarrying (to extract resources from the ground)
farming
disposing of waste
the more land used by humans, the less left for other organisms
converting land for our use damages environment

Question 6

deforestation

Answer 6

mainly to clear land for farming
- raise cattle and grow food for them to eat
- grow crops for us to eat and to make biofuels
-logging, using the wood itself for building, burning etc.

Question 7

consequences of deforestation

Answer 7

trees no longer photosynthesise and take in CO2 from atmos
- more CO2 in atmos contributing to global warming
- burning forests releases CO2 (combustion)
- smoke produced can suffocate animals and pollute entire towns
- destroys habitats leading to reduced biodiversity and extinction

Question 8

peat bogs

Answer 8

soil is waterlogged and acidic
these features mean that microorganisms that decay plants cant survive in peat bogs
rotted plants build up to form peat
( stores all carbon taken in by plants during their lifetime)

Question 9

destruction of peat bogs

Answer 9

drained to be used as farmland
- microorganisms come back to decay dead plants, carbon store is released as CO2 into atmos
being destroyed quicker than can be replaced
- destroys habitats, reducing biodiversity and possibly causing some extinction

Question 10

uses of peat

Answer 10

burned as fuel
used as compost in gardens
(both of these release CO2)