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Environmental Science > Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change > Flashcards

Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change Flashcards

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1
Q

What happens to UV as it passes through the atmosphere?

A

UVC and UVB is absorbed by ozone, water vapour, oxygen and CO2

UVA passes through

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2
Q

What happens to infra-red as it passes through the atmosphere?

A

50% does not reach the surface

absorbed by greenhouse gases in the troposphere

50% is absorbed

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3
Q

What happens to visible light as it passes through the atmosphere?

A

all of it reaches earth, except for a small amount that is reflected (e.g. by the clouds)

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4
Q

Greenhouse effect: Step 1

A

earth receives energy from sun in from of UV, visible light and infra-red

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5
Q

Greenhouse effect: Step 2

A

visible light is transmitted, infra-red is absorbed by GHGs, UVB and UVC is absorbed by atmosphere, UVA passes through except for small amount that is reflected

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6
Q

Greenhouse effect: Step 3

A

radiation that reach the earth’s surface is absorbed and re-emitted as infra-red radiation

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7
Q

Greenhouse effect: Step 4

A

greenhouse gases absorb this energy and emit some of it back towards earth

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8
Q

Greenhouse effect: Step 5

A

the earth warms due to the greenhouse gases re-emitting infrared radiation towards earth, this is essential for sustaining life

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9
Q

Define: Greenhouse effect

A

the warming of the atmosphere due to insulation by greenhouse gases

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10
Q

Define: Enhanced Greenhouse effect

A

the impact on the climate from the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon dioxide and other GHGs that humans have released into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution

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11
Q

Define: Anthropogenic

A

human cause

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12
Q

Anthropogenic Sources: CO2

A

agriculture
power generation/ transportation = combustion of fossil fuels
chemical production

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13
Q

Anthropogenic Sources: Methane

A

landfills
agriculture
oil and gas systems
coal mining
wastewater treatment

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14
Q

Anthropogenic Sources: Nitrogen Oxides

A

combustion of fossil fuels (cars)
refining of petrol + metals
commercial + food manufacturing

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15
Q

Anthropogenic Sources: Chlorofluorocarbons

A

air conditioning
refrigeration
insulation + packaging materials
aerosols + solvents

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16
Q

Anthropogenic Sources: Tropospheric Ozone

A

product of photochemical reactions
fossil fuel combustion
agriculture

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17
Q

What is the most damaging per molecule greenhouse gas?

A

tropospheric ozone

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18
Q

Personal choices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions

A

public transport

recycle

solar panels/lighting

adjust thermostat

plant trees

hybrid/electric cars

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18
Q

How much more damaging is methane compared to carbon dioxide?

A

25x

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18
Q

Why is so much effort being put in to reducing CO2 emissions?

A

a higher amount of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere than any of the other gases

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19
Q

How much more damaging are CFCs compared to methane?

A

224x

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20
Q

How can the UK reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

A

renewable energy initiatives

change building regulations/planning policy

increase fossil fuel taxes

close landfill sites

invest in public transport

protect green spaces

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21
Q

Why are sea levels likely to rise if average global temperatures increase?

A

ice melts - volume of liquid increases - sea levels rise

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22
Q

What areas of the world are most at risk from flooding?

A

oceanic islands

central america

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23
Q

How does the Earth’s climate system work?

A

energy from sun moves in and out, heat moves around atmosphere and seas

some energy is reflected/absorbed

energy that is absorbed is re-radiated

GHGs re-emit the heat they absorb - eventually into space

warm air rises and cool air sinks

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24
Q

How does the Earth’s climate system redistribute heat at the equator?

A

ocean currents - warm surface waters move from equator to the poles

convection cells

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25
Q

What aspects of the climate might be changed if world temperatures increase?

A

frequency of extreme weather

sea level rise

reduced ice/snow cover

increase ocean acidification

changes in ocean currents

increase precipitation

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26
Q

What are the four factors that drive ocean currents?

A

temperature
salinity
prevailing winds
evaporation

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27
Q

Where is warm water found and at what depth?

A

equatorial waters

surface depth (100m)

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28
Q

What happens as warm water moves from the equator?

A

cools, becomes denser, sinks

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29
Q

What two factors increase as water cools?

A

density
salinity

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30
Q

Define thermohaline circulation

A

circulation driven by salinity and temperature

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31
Q

How does the gulf stream work?

A

10000km long

warm and fast moving water

SE trade wind - prevailing wind

32
Q

What effect does the North Atlantic Conveyer have on Northern Europe?

A

incoming warm water releases heat into the atmosphere - makes the UK warmer than other countries at the same latitude

33
Q

What is the possible impact of temperature increase on the North Atlantic Conveyer?

A

current is weakened

north atlantic ocean cools

europe would cool 5-10 degrees

34
Q

What happens in the Pacific ocean in a normal year?

A

east to west prevailing wind - easterly trade wind

warm waters are pushed to the west

upwelling of cold water from the deep in the east

west = warm humid rising air - unsettled weather
east = cool air falling - settled weather

35
Q

What happens in the Pacific ocean in an El Nino year?

A

trade winds are weakened or reversed

warm water is central or to the east of the pacific

warm humid air rises in the centre - unsettled weather

36
Q

What happens in the Pacific ocean in a La Nina year?

A

trade winds are stronger

larger area of cold water upwelling in the east

small area of warm water in the west

37
Q

How have weather events associated with El Nino affected significant events in world history?

A

Spanish conquest - allowed them to travel further down the south american coast

18th century - crop failures in europe led to unrest causing the french revolution

38
Q

Define cryosphere

A

the regions on earth where water freezes into snow or ice

39
Q

Define ice sheet

A

ice covering an area over 50000 km2

40
Q

Define ice cap

A

ice covering an area less than 50000 km2

has its own topography

41
Q

Define ice field

A

ice covering an area less than 50000 km2

topography of ice follows the underlying land

42
Q

Define glacier

A

a large body of dense ice moving over the land under its own weight

43
Q

Define ice shelf

A

floating mass of ice attached to ice on land

44
Q

Define iceberg

A

large piece of ice floating in the sea that broke off a glacier or ice shelf

45
Q

Define sea ice

A

thin ice that forms on the sea as water freezes

46
Q

Impact of climate change on living things

A

habitat loss

lower crop yield

intense droughts

change in ranging behaviours

change in hibernation

faster plant growth

change in migration

change in breeding behaviours

47
Q

What does range of tolerance mean?

A

range of environmental conditions that are tolerable for survival in a species

48
Q

Consequences of changes in abiotic factors, but no change in range of tolerance

A

migration

death/extinction in local area

49
Q

What factors may hinder species trying to change their geographical range?

A

expanses of water
mountains
urbanisation
predators
availability of resources

50
Q

Climate change case study: bats

A

population decrease

migration patterns altered

different diseases

loss of insect prey

hibernation patterns changed

51
Q

Impact of climate change on health, food security and water security

A

higher food costs

decreasing yields

ocean acidification - fish decrease

heat stroke

more frequent sever weather

increase of pathogens

52
Q

Impact of climate change on human settlements

A

loss of major cities

loss of shade from urban trees

flooding risks, salt water intrusion, severe storms = coastal regions

53
Q

Impacts of climate change on society

A

conflicts over resources

desertification

increase in landslides

displacement due to natural disasters

54
Q

Why is it difficult to predict climate change?

A

time lag between cause and effect

hard to differentiate between weather and climate

lots of positive and negative feedback mechanisms (positive = accelerate effects, negative = cancel out effects)

climate change can be natural

55
Q

Define positive feedback

A

a process that exacerbates the effects of a small disturbance

56
Q

Define negative feedback

A

a process that reduces the result of a reaction to bring the system back to a stable state

57
Q

What is meant by tipping point?

A

a threshold, that when crossed, leads to larger and often irreversible changes in the climate system

58
Q

Monitoring the climate: monitoring ocean currents

A

measured using radar and satellite

driven by salinity/temperature/prevailing winds/evaporation

argo floats - beam to satellites

59
Q

Monitoring the climate: computer models

A

help to predict climate change

feed in data from many different sources

60
Q

How can we improve our confidence about computer models?

A

input data from past events and see if the model predicts the correct outcome

61
Q

What does per capita mean?

A

per person

62
Q

Calculation for per capita?

A

total/population

63
Q

Define carbon footprint

A

measure of the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual/business/community

64
Q

Control measures: carbon dioxide

A

reduce combustion of fossil fuels
flight tax
invest in renewable energy
afforestation
carbon capture

65
Q

Control measures: methane

A

stop landfill
decrease cattle farming
change rice farming practices
improved recovery of gas from fossil fuel extraction

66
Q

Control measures: nitrogen oxides

A

stop diesel and petrol cars - add catalytic convertors
adjust conditions in industry

67
Q

Control measures: chlorofluorocarbons

A

recycle products that use CFCs

propellant alternatives - pump action sprays

68
Q

Control measures: tropospheric ozone

A

reduce nitrogen oxides

69
Q

Strategies to cope with climate change: agriculture

A

drought resistant crops
plant faster growing varieties
share food resources
return to native crops - CWRs

70
Q

Strategies to cope with climate change: building design

A

reflective surfaces
moisture resistant materials
raised buildings
solar panels

71
Q

Strategies to cope with climate change: flooding

A

managed migration
build on stilts/floating
channel straightening/dredging
use land as natural floodplains
improved sewage system

72
Q

Strategies to cope with climate change: coastal erosion

A

plant mangroves
artificial reefs
dune nourishment/regeneration
managed retreat

73
Q

Strategies to cope with climate change: storm damage

A

hardy crops
early warning systems
storm shelters
build flood defences

74
Q

Strategies to cope with climate change: carbon capture and storage

A

captured at emissions sources or from the atmosphere
transported through underground pipelines
stored underground and offshore
CO2 converted into liquid and injected into rocks

75
Q

Strategies to cope with climate change: carbon sequestration

A

afforestation
protect already existing forests and natural carbon sinks

76
Q

The Kyoto Protocol

A

1997

rich nations had to do more than poor nations

reduce harmful chemicals released into atmosphere

adaptation funds for poor countries

77
Q

COP

A

1995

conference to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations

strengthen our ability to adapt to climate change

78
Q

The Paris Agreement

A

focussed on long term strategies

1.5 degrees global warming limit

countries commit to nationally determined contributions

Environmental Science (25 decks)

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