Living With The Physical Environment: Climate Change

Question 1

Climate change

Answer 1

The long-term change in the Earth’s climate change, can become hot or cold

Question 2

Evidence for climate change

Answer 2

Rising sea levels

Temperature records

Melting ice - glacial retreat

Historical records - ice cones

Question 3

Global impacts of climate change

Answer 3

Melting mountain glaciers = helps farmers but causes floods

Loss of ice = polar bears endangered

Low-lying islands at risk of floods, e.g. Maldives

Question 4

Orbital theory

Answer 4

Every 41,000 years the angle of the Earth’s axis changes

Every 20,000 years the Earth’s axis wobbles

Question 5

Sunspot theory

Answer 5

Dark patches on the surface of the sun

Occurs every 11 years

When at maximum activity the sun gives out more heat

Question 6

Eruption theory

Answer 6

Produces ashes, gases, and liquids

Blocks the sun reducing the temperature

Fire droplets result in the conversion of sulphur dioxide to sulfuric acid

Question 7

Greenhouse effect

Answer 7

The process whereby gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, believed to be the main cause of global warming

Question 8

CO2

Answer 8

Accounts for 60% of the enhanced greenhouse effect

Car exhausts, deforestation, and burning fossil fuels

Question 9

Methane

Answer 9

Effective in absorbing heat

Accounts for 20% of the enhanced greenhouse effect

Farm livestock, burning biomass, rice farming, decaying organic matter

Question 10

Nitrous oxides

Answer 10

300 times more effective at trapping heat

Car exhausts, sewage treatments, agricultural fertilisers, power stations

Question 11

Mitigation

Answer 11

Actions taken to reduce long-term risk of natural hazards

Question 12

Mitigation strategies - alternative energy resources

Answer 12

Renewable energy - hydroelectric, solar

Creates job

Only made in certain locations

Question 13

Mitigation strategies - carbon capture

Answer 13

Trapping CO2 and storing and storing it underground

Less CO2 in the atmosphere

Nit enough technology and expensive

Question 14

Mitigation strategies - planting trees

Answer 14

Trees absorb CO2 and release O2

Cheap and creates habitats

Requires land and takes time to grow

Question 15

Mitigation strategies - international agreements

Answer 15

Legally binding or gesture of goodwill

Everyone works together

China did not agree

Question 16

Adaptation

Answer 16

Actions taken to adjust natural events such as climate change

To reduce damage, limit the impacts, take advantage of opportunities or cope with consequences

Question 17

Adaptation strategies - agricultural adaptation

Answer 17

Educate farmers in water saving techniques

Question 18

Adaptation strategies - managing water supply

Answer 18

Building artificial glaciers in winter so it results in fresh water in spring, e.g. India in the village of Lakadoh

Question 19

Adaptation strategies - reducing risk from rising sea levels

Answer 19

Build houses with stilts

Construction of sea wall

Construction of artifical islands