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Environmental Science > Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change > Flashcards

Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change Flashcards

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
How does the Earth's climate system work?
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
24
How does the Earth's climate system redistribute heat at the equator?
ocean currents - warm surface waters move from equator to the poles convection cells
25
What aspects of the climate might be changed if world temperatures increase?
frequency of extreme weather sea level rise reduced ice/snow cover increase ocean acidification changes in ocean currents increase precipitation
26
What are the four factors that drive ocean currents?
temperature salinity prevailing winds evaporation
27
Where is warm water found and at what depth?
equatorial waters surface depth (100m)
28
What happens as warm water moves from the equator?
cools, becomes denser, sinks
29
What two factors increase as water cools?
density salinity
30
Define thermohaline circulation
circulation driven by salinity and temperature
31
How does the gulf stream work?
10000km long warm and fast moving water SE trade wind - prevailing wind
32
What effect does the North Atlantic Conveyer have on Northern Europe?
incoming warm water releases heat into the atmosphere - makes the UK warmer than other countries at the same latitude
33
What is the possible impact of temperature increase on the North Atlantic Conveyer?
current is weakened north atlantic ocean cools europe would cool 5-10 degrees
34
What happens in the Pacific ocean in a normal year?
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
What happens in the Pacific ocean in an El Nino year?
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
What happens in the Pacific ocean in a La Nina year?
trade winds are stronger larger area of cold water upwelling in the east small area of warm water in the west
37
How have weather events associated with El Nino affected significant events in world history?
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
Define cryosphere
the regions on earth where water freezes into snow or ice
39
Define ice sheet
ice covering an area over 50000 km2
40
Define ice cap
ice covering an area less than 50000 km2 has its own topography
41
Define ice field
ice covering an area less than 50000 km2 topography of ice follows the underlying land
42
Define glacier
a large body of dense ice moving over the land under its own weight
43
Define ice shelf
floating mass of ice attached to ice on land
44
Define iceberg
large piece of ice floating in the sea that broke off a glacier or ice shelf
45
Define sea ice
thin ice that forms on the sea as water freezes
46
Impact of climate change on living things
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
What does range of tolerance mean?
range of environmental conditions that are tolerable for survival in a species
48
Consequences of changes in abiotic factors, but no change in range of tolerance
migration death/extinction in local area
49
What factors may hinder species trying to change their geographical range?
expanses of water mountains urbanisation predators availability of resources
50
Climate change case study: bats
population decrease migration patterns altered different diseases loss of insect prey hibernation patterns changed
51
Impact of climate change on health, food security and water security
higher food costs decreasing yields ocean acidification - fish decrease heat stroke more frequent sever weather increase of pathogens
52
Impact of climate change on human settlements
loss of major cities loss of shade from urban trees flooding risks, salt water intrusion, severe storms = coastal regions
53
Impacts of climate change on society
conflicts over resources desertification increase in landslides displacement due to natural disasters
54
Why is it difficult to predict climate change?
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
Define positive feedback
a process that exacerbates the effects of a small disturbance
56
Define negative feedback
a process that reduces the result of a reaction to bring the system back to a stable state
57
What is meant by tipping point?
a threshold, that when crossed, leads to larger and often irreversible changes in the climate system
58
Monitoring the climate: monitoring ocean currents
measured using radar and satellite driven by salinity/temperature/prevailing winds/evaporation argo floats - beam to satellites
59
Monitoring the climate: computer models
help to predict climate change feed in data from many different sources
60
How can we improve our confidence about computer models?
input data from past events and see if the model predicts the correct outcome
61
What does per capita mean?
per person
62
Calculation for per capita?
total/population
63
Define carbon footprint
measure of the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual/business/community
64
Control measures: carbon dioxide
reduce combustion of fossil fuels flight tax invest in renewable energy afforestation carbon capture
65
Control measures: methane
stop landfill decrease cattle farming change rice farming practices improved recovery of gas from fossil fuel extraction
66
Control measures: nitrogen oxides
stop diesel and petrol cars - add catalytic convertors adjust conditions in industry
67
Control measures: chlorofluorocarbons
recycle products that use CFCs propellant alternatives - pump action sprays
68
Control measures: tropospheric ozone
reduce nitrogen oxides
69
Strategies to cope with climate change: agriculture
drought resistant crops plant faster growing varieties share food resources return to native crops - CWRs
70
Strategies to cope with climate change: building design
reflective surfaces moisture resistant materials raised buildings solar panels
71
Strategies to cope with climate change: flooding
managed migration build on stilts/floating channel straightening/dredging use land as natural floodplains improved sewage system
72
Strategies to cope with climate change: coastal erosion
plant mangroves artificial reefs dune nourishment/regeneration managed retreat
73
Strategies to cope with climate change: storm damage
hardy crops early warning systems storm shelters build flood defences
74
Strategies to cope with climate change: carbon capture and storage
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
Strategies to cope with climate change: carbon sequestration
afforestation protect already existing forests and natural carbon sinks
76
The Kyoto Protocol
1997 rich nations had to do more than poor nations reduce harmful chemicals released into atmosphere adaptation funds for poor countries
77
COP
1995 conference to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations strengthen our ability to adapt to climate change
78
The Paris Agreement
focussed on long term strategies 1.5 degrees global warming limit countries commit to nationally determined contributions

Environmental Science (27 decks)

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