Module 5 Flashcards
Long-term average weather pattern in one place.
Climate
Influenced by slow changes in the ocean, the land, the orbit of the Earth about the sun, and the energy output of the sun
Climate
Fundamentally controlled by the balance of energy of the Earth and its atmosphere
Climate
Conditions at one particular time and place, including temperature and rainfall.
Weather
Can change very rapidly from day to day, and from year to year.
Weather
Changes involve shifts in temperatures, precipitation, winds, and clouds.
Weather
_ is defined as the average weather condition of the atmosphere over a long time in a particular place. Throughout the history of humankind, _ played an important role in where people have chosen a place they want to settle.
Climate
_ refers to the day to day atmospheric condition of a particular place and time. can be pleasant or destructive. _ can destroy houses, properties, vehicles, and agricultural activities and even result in death.
Weather
Intense weather
“A change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over a comparable period of time.”
Climate Change according to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
“Any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity.”
Climate Change according to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC)
_ is created by complex interactions between the Sun, our atmosphere, oceans, land, ice and biosphere which in turn are affected by an area’s latitude, elevation, terrain, and distance from coasts, mountains and lakes
Climate System
When we talk about the climate system, the _ is known to be the main driver.
sun’s energy
As the sun emits energy and penetrates the atmosphere, it is absorbed, or the clouds are reflecting some. As the energy enters the earth, it brings in heat as well. A natural process such as water evaporation, air currents rising, and radiation in the earth’s surface removes or loses heat. Some of the heat that enters the atmosphere goes out through the atmosphere back to space, but some heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, water vapor, and methane. In this way, the atmosphere will be able to re-emit back the heat. Eventually, all heat will always go back at the space, but not before it raised the Earth’s surface enough to support living organisms on earth.
Climate variations (internal responses):
Changes in Atmosphere
Changes in Ice
Changes in Vegetation
Changes in Ocean
Changes in Land Surface
Low angle of incoming sunlight:
Sunlight strikes most directly:
60°N and S
0° (Equator)
Trophic of Cancer:
Trophic of Capricorn:
30° N
30°S
Cloudiest Area and (cloud %):
Clearest Area and (cloud %):
Chuuk (Caroline Islands) - 92.3%
Dakhla Oasis (Egypt) - 9.7%
Late-winter maximum extent and historical changes near Iceland
Sea ice
widespread glacier retreat in 20th century
Mountain glaciers
Advances/retreat of ice sheet margins or growth/decay of entire ice sheet
Ice sheet
Climate System
Causes (external forcing):
Changes in plate tectonics
Changes in Earth’s orbit
Changes in sun’s strength
Without the aid of _ absorbing and re-emitting heat, life would not be possible on earth.
greenhouse gasses
If the _ remains still, the climate would not be altered around the globe.
climate system
Since the earth is not flat and tilted, the planet’s exposure to the sun changes at different latitudes and seasons. Generally, there is more heat in the middle portion of the earth (equator) than the Polar Regions. About inequality, the movement or circulation of heat moves from the equator to the poles through the atmosphere and oceans. As observed in tropical countries, arising from thunder, clouds are apparent. These warm forces the air to rise and drift to the poles at high levels. Air that is more cooling flows in the direction opposite the surface of the earth, which will set up cells. The same cells are developing in other areas as it goes up towards the Polar Regions. Furthermore, the boundaries between cells contain two different air, which is either rising or sinking towards the earth.
Note that if the air is _, high pressure is expected with beautiful and glorious weather, while _ air has low pressure with precipitation.
sinking
rising
The _ and _ is responsible for developing currents in the ocean.
changing temperature of the sea and salinity or saltiness of the seawater.
In the north Atlantic, the surface water there is cooled by the winds of the arctic. Those water characterized by being cold, dense and salty, sinks and moves toward deep within the central portion of the ocean. In exchange, the water is moved by the Gulf Stream towards the northeastward, specifically at the shallow portion, to replace it. This movement carries warmth to the northwestern of Europe, creating a milder climate distinct to other places with similar latitudes. It is because of these interactions of the sun’s energy and the ability of the atmosphere and oceans to travel heat across the globe – creates various climates in different parts of the planet and eventually alters daily weather.
For instance, the strongest current in the world is located at the _.
Gulf Stream
Thus, an _ has the potential to create an imbalance of the climate system and affect our climate.
increasing temperature that can lead to warming
Climate Change Mechanisms
Methods in changing the global average temperature of the Earth
Alteration of solar energy’s output
Alteration of albedo effect
Alteration of the global atmospheric composition
The _ in changing the global average temperature of the earth is through the alteration of solar energy’s output.
first method
The _ and _ are undergoing cycles that influence the amount of solar energy that the planet receives.
sun and earth
Sun undergoes an _ cycle of activity, where its magnetic field flips and the number of sunspots on its surface increases and decreases.
11-year
Earth undergoes _, such as changes in its axial tilt and orbit around the sun.
natural cycle
The second method in changing the global average earth’s temperature is the _.
alteration of the earth’s brightness or albedo effect
_ refers to the percent of reflected sunlight.
Albedo
The _ of the earth is responsible for the amount of sunlight re-radiated outside the atmosphere instead of being absorbed in the surface.
albedo effect
The _ can influence the rising of global temperature or cooling.
alteration of the reflectivity of sunlight or albedo effect
The third method in changing the earth’s average temperature is the _.
alteration of the global atmospheric composition
Climate Change Mechanism: Third Method
The composition of the atmosphere affects the _. The _ refers to the process by which infrared radiation is absorbed and re-radiated back to the earth’s surface by greenhouse gases instead of going outside the atmosphere.
greenhouse effect
Climate Change Mechanism: Third Method
_ are efficient in absorbing and keeping heat; that is why it can contribute to the rising of the earth’s surface temperature.
Greenhouse gases
However, it was observed for the last century that there is an unusual rise in global temperature for about _ to _.
1.2 to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit
Scientists around the world point out that the sole responsible for increasing the temperature are _.
anthropogenic activities
To be able to understand
climate change is to understand the concept of _.
Greenhouse effect
These greenhouse gases include _, _, _, _, _, and _.
water vapor, clouds, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (Ch4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and halocarbons.
The start of the _ marked the beginning of intensive human activities such as power plants, factories, and vehicles that depend on fossil fuel burning.
industrial revolution
_ can discharge a gigantic quantity of greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide.
Burning fossil fuels
