Hazardous Earth

Question 1

What is insolation?

Answer 1

Insolation is the solar radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface.

It is greater at the equator than at the poles.

Question 2

What causes winds to blow from areas of high pressure to low pressure?

Answer 2

Differences in temperature create differences in air pressure.

This is fundamental to global atmospheric circulation.

Question 3

What are the three cells in each hemisphere of global atmospheric circulation?

Answer 3

• Hadley Cell
• Ferrel Cell
• Polar Cell

These cells are responsible for the movement of air and heat around the Earth.

Question 4

What happens at the equator in terms of air movement?

Answer 4

The Sun warms the Earth, causing air to rise and create a low pressure belt.

This rising air cools and condenses, forming clouds and rain.

Question 5

What is the result of cool, dry air moving to 30° north and south of the equator?

Answer 5

It sinks, creating a high pressure belt with cloudless skies and very low rainfall.

This is a characteristic feature of the subtropical high-pressure zones.

Question 6

What are surface winds blowing towards the equator called?

Answer 6

Trade winds.

They blow from the southeast in the southern hemisphere and from the northeast in the northern hemisphere.

Question 7

What are surface winds blowing towards the poles called?

Answer 7

Westerlies.

They blow from the northwest in the southern hemisphere and from the southwest in the northern hemisphere.

Question 8

What occurs when warmer surface winds meet colder air at 60° north and south of the equator?

Answer 8

The warmer air is forced to rise, creating low pressure and frontal rain.

This is where warm and cold air masses meet.

Question 9

What is the thermohaline circulation?

Answer 9

It is the cycle of cooling and sinking of water that moves water in a big loop around the Earth.

This process is driven by differences in water density.

Question 10

What is the main cause of arid climate zones?

Answer 10

Sinking air from the Hadley and Ferrel cells creating high pressure.

This prevents rainfall and results in very low precipitation.

Question 11

What characterizes polar climate zones?

Answer 11

Sinking air from the Polar cells creates high pressure with low temperatures and very little rainfall.

This leads to cold conditions year-round.

Question 12

What causes tropical climate zones to have high rainfall?

Answer 12

Rising air from the two Hadley cells meeting causes low pressure and lots of rainfall.

Temperatures are consistently hot in these regions.

Question 13

Fill in the blank: Ocean currents are large scale movements of water that transfer heat energy from _______ to cooler regions.

Answer 13

warmer areas.

Question 14

What is a significant change in the Earth’s climate over a long period called?

Answer 14

Climate change

Climate change refers to the long-term alteration of temperature and typical weather patterns in a place.

Question 15

What is the most recent geological time period called?

Answer 15

The Quaternary period

This period spans from about 2.6 million years ago to the present day.

Question 16

How long do cold glacial periods typically last during the Quaternary?

Answer 16

Around 100,000 years

These periods alternate with warmer interglacial periods.

Question 17

How long do warmer interglacial periods typically last during the Quaternary?

Answer 17

Around 10,000 years

These interglacial periods follow the glacial periods.

Question 18

When did the last glacial period end?

Answer 18

Around 15,000 years ago

This marked the beginning of a warming trend in the climate.

Question 19

What are the three natural causes of climate change mentioned?

Answer 19

• Orbital changes
• Volcanic activity
• Solar output

These factors contribute to variations in climate over time.

Question 20

What are the three types of orbital changes that affect climate?

Answer 20

• Stretch (eccentricity)
• Tilt (obliquity)
• Wobble (precession)

These changes affect the Earth’s position relative to the Sun and influence climate.

Question 21

What does ‘stretch’ refer to in the context of orbital changes?

Answer 21

The path of the Earth’s orbit changing from a perfect circle to an ellipse

This cycle occurs approximately every 96,000 years.

Question 22

What effect does volcanic activity have on climate?

Answer 22

It can cause short-term cooling due to ash reflecting sunlight

An example is the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815.

Question 23

What is the Maunder Minimum?

Answer 23

A period of reduced solar activity between 1645 and 1715

This period coincided with the Little Ice Age.

Question 24

How can asteroid collisions affect the climate?

Answer 24

They can throw dust into the atmosphere, blocking sunlight and cooling the Earth

This may have contributed to the Younger Dryas cooling event.

Question 25

What are tree rings used for in climate studies?

Answer 25

To analyze past climate conditions based on the thickness of the rings

Thicker rings indicate warmer years.

Question 26

What do ice cores tell us about past climates?

Answer 26

They provide layers of ice that can be analyzed for trapped gases and temperature data

Ice cores can reveal climate changes over hundreds of thousands of years.

Question 27

What historical records can help reconstruct past climate?

Answer 27

• Diaries
• Paintings
• Harvest records

These records can provide insights into climate conditions over time.

Question 28

What was the Medieval Warm Period?

Answer 28

A period of relatively high temperatures between roughly 900 and 1300

This period allowed for the growth of grapes in England.

Question 29

What was the Little Ice Age?

Answer 29

A period of cooler temperatures following the Medieval Warm Period

This period is characterized by colder winters in Europe.

Question 30

Fill in the blank: The thickness of tree rings depends on the _______.

Answer 30

climate when the ring was formed

Warmer years produce thicker rings.

Question 31

What is the Natural Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 31

It is essential for keeping our planet warm by balancing incoming short-wave radiation from the Sun and outgoing long-wave radiation from the Earth.

Question 32

What are greenhouse gases?

Answer 32

Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).

Question 33

How do greenhouse gases contribute to the greenhouse effect?

Answer 33

They let short-wave radiation in but trap long-wave radiation, leading to warming.

Question 34

What is the effect of livestock farming on greenhouse gas emissions?

Answer 34

It produces a lot of methane, as cows emit methane through digestion.

Question 35

What is one major consequence of deforestation?

Answer 35

It reduces the absorption of CO2, increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere.

Question 36

What are two factors contributing to sea level rise?

Answer 36

• Eustatic sea level rise due to melting glaciers and ice sheets
• Thermal expansion of water as it warms

Question 37

How much have global temperatures increased since 1880?

Answer 37

By nearly 1°C.

Question 38

What has been the trend in extreme weather events since 1950?

Answer 38

Higher frequency of heat waves and fewer cold weather extremes.

Question 39

What impact does climate change have on farming in high-latitude countries?

Answer 39

Some farmers are finding that crops benefit from warmer conditions.

Question 40

What is one potential consequence of lower crop yields?

Answer 40

Increased malnutrition, ill health, and death from starvation, particularly in lower latitudes.

Question 41

What is a major effect of climate change on human habitation in coastal areas?

Answer 41

Some areas may become too hot or dry to inhabit, leading to migration.

Question 42

What happens to CO2 when fossil fuels are burnt?

Answer 42

CO2 is released into the atmosphere.

Question 43

What is one implication of increased car ownership in developing countries?

Answer 43

More cars on the roads lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions due to traffic congestion.