L4 - Greenhouse madness

Question 1

State two of the main greenhouse gases associated with human activity?

Answer 1

Any two from: Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide

Question 2

Name three reasons to why more carbon dioxide is produced.

Answer 2

1. There is more industry. E.g. steel and cement making
2. More energy is needed so more fossil fuels are burned
3. Transport increases so more oil is burned as petrol and diesel
4. Land is needed so there is deforestation (trees are often burned)

Question 3

Describe one human activity that contributes to climate change.

Answer 3

e.g. Burning coal for electricity as it releases carbon dioxide.

Question 4

Explain how the greenhouse effect works.

Answer 4

1. Electromagnetic radiation at most wavelengths from the Sun passes through the Earth’s atmosphere.
2. The Earth absorbs electromagnetic radiation with short wavelengths and so warms up. Heat is radiated from the Earth as longer wavelength infrared radiation.
3. Some of this infrared radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
4. The atmosphere warms up.

Question 5

Fill in the missing gap. There has been a rapid _________ in carbon dioxide concentrations over the past _________ years.

Answer 5

Increase, 200

Question 6

Fill in the missing gap. Concentrations of carbon dioxide remained stable between __________and __________ years ago.

Answer 6

30,000

40,000

Question 7

Explain how the expansion of rice farming contributes to climate change.

Answer 7

Organic matter decomposing in flooded paddy fields result in the release of methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas which contributes to climate change. q

Question 8

What does IPCC stand for?

Answer 8

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Question 9

What do the IPCC state about climate change?

Answer 9

They state that the evidence suggests that human activity does affect global warming , in particular through the release of greenhouse gases and the use of aerosols.

Question 10

Explain two ways in which deforestation may affect global warming.

Answer 10

1. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and therefore cutting down trees prevents future carbon from being locked away.
2. Felled logs are often burnt to make way for farming adding further carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Question 11

Define what a greenhouse gas is.

Answer 11

Gas in the atmosphere that absorbs infrared radiation from the Earth’s surface and so reduces the loss of energy from the Earth into space. This has the effect of warming the Earth.

Question 12

Gases within our atmosphere absorb radiation. What type of radiation is this?

Answer 12

Infrared radiation.

Question 13

State the two largest producers of carbon dioxide.

Answer 13

USA and China

Question 14

If human civilisation had never developed on Earth, would there be a greenhouse effect?

Answer 14

Yes, the greenhouse effect is caused by naturally occurring gases.

Question 15

What effect will global warming have on the rest of the world?

Answer 15

Countries like a Russia and Canada will have more farmland. Small island nations like Maldives will lose land area as sea level rises.

Question 16

Which activity contributes the most to carbon emissions globally?

Answer 16

Energy supply

Question 17

Fill in the missing gap. Carbon dioxide concentrations have risen from __________ ppm 20,000 years ago to __________ ppm today.

Answer 17

280, over 400

Question 18

How does grazing cattle increase the methane in our atmosphere?

Answer 18

Large grazing cattle herds produce large amounts of methane when digesting food.

Question 19

Fill in the missing gap. Between __________ years ago and __________ years ago the carbon dioxide concentrations fluctuated at around __________ ppm.

Answer 19

80,000; 20,000; 200