L6 Climate Change

Question 1

What are climate forcings?

Answer 1

Climate forcings are responsible for the initial change in climate for example an increase in solar radiation would have an effect of heating the Earth.

Question 2

What are climate feedbacks?

Answer 2

Climate feedbacks are processes that also affect climate change but rely on forcing to have any effect for example ice albedo feedback (darker region under the ice in Antarctica absorbs more solar energy as the ice on top melts.)

Question 3

Name 5 factors that can lead to levels of greenhouse gases increasing.

Answer 3

Deforestation, burning fossil fuels,volcanic eruptions, rice paddies, Cattle farming

Question 4

How might humans affect carbon dioxide levels?

Answer 4

Humans cut down trees in regions like the amazon reducing the amount of carbon dioxide being removed from the atmosphere. Furthermore we use lots of fossil fuels to get electricity increasing the amount of carbon dioxide pumped into the atmosphere.

Question 5

Describe the link between population and greenhouse emissions.

Answer 5

As the population increases so do the greenhouse emissions.

Question 6

Explain the effects of an increasing population on climate change?

Answer 6

As the population increases so does the amount of energy and food required, this causes more fossil fuels to be burnt and more forests being destroyed in order to make room for farm land. This of course causes global warming.

Question 7

What will happen if the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere fell below 550ppm.

Answer 7

The temperature should not rise more than 2 degrees Celsius however the ice caps would still melt flooding low lying areas and causing global species extinction.

Question 8

What will happen if the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere goes above 550ppm.

Answer 8

Billions of people will be forced to leave their homes due to the lack of fresh water, furthermore worldwide temperatures would increase as well as the polar ice caps melt.

Question 9

Name some uncertainties in climate change models.

Answer 9

Climate change models rely on some data that is not fully understood for example solar cycles or data that is not always accurate like precipitous in various regions.

Question 10

Describe the graph showing global warming from 1900 to 2100

Answer 10

Initially low however after the industrial revolution and world wars the population and global warming began to rise drastically.

Question 11

How might global warming be limited?

Answer 11

By setting world wide target emissions and finding renewable energy resources that can replace fossil fuels.

Question 12

Describe effects of an increasing temperature.

Answer 12

There will be more droughts and as such less food leading to starvation and famine in less economically developed countries.

Question 13

How is global warming thought to effect U.K. Climate?

Answer 13

The U.K will have a more Mediterranean like climate with wetter winters and warmer summers.

Question 14

What is the link between carbon dioxide levels and global temperature

Answer 14

As the amount of carbon dioxide levels increase so does the temperature, as it decreases so do the the temperatures around the world.

Question 15

How does population effect climate change?

Answer 15

As the population increases the amount of carbon dioxide levels increases as we require more energy.

Question 16

How does becoming more developed change climate?

Answer 16

As countries develop more people want a higher standard of life, often requiring more energy leading to more greenhouse gas emissions heating the planet.

Question 17

When was the last ice age?

Answer 17

11,700 years ago.

Question 18

How are carbon dioxide levels from thousands of years ago discovered?

Answer 18

If cores ares used to calculate Carbon Dioxide.

Question 19

How might lesser developed countries be affected by climate change?

Answer 19

Less economically affected countries may not be able to cope with an increase in temperature due to global warming leading to increases numbers of droughts and as such famines. Due to the lack of money available they will have to rely on economic aid.

Question 20

Name natural causes of climate change?

Answer 20

Milankovitch cycles, Solar flares, Ice sheets melting.