Paper 1: Challenges Of An Urbanising World Flashcards
How is heat transferred around the world?
Global atmospheric circulation loops (cells)
Ocean currents
Describe an arid climate zone.
High pressure prevents rainfall
Low rainfall year round
Temperatures are hot or warm
Describe a polar climate zone.
High pressure causing low rainfall
Low temperatures year round
Very little rainfall
Describe a tropical climate zone.
Low pressure causes lots of rainfall
Temperatures are hot all year
Rainfall is high
What is the Quaternary period?
The most recent geographical time period From 2.6 million years ago to now 100 000 year glacial periods Then 10 000 year interglacial periods Last glacial period was 15 000 years ago
How do orbital changes cause climate change?
Elliptical orbit: 96 000 years
Wobbling axis: 22 000 years
Tilting axis: 41 000 years
How does volcanic activity effect climate?
Released particles reflects sun’s rays back out to space cooling the area under the cloud.
Mount Tambora in Indonesia: year without summer in 1816
How does solar output effect the earth’s climate?
Sun spots give out more solar radiation
Output changes in short cycles of about 11 years
How do asteroids collisions effect the earth’s climate?
Fast is released into the atmosphere on collision. This prevents sun rays from hitting the earth.
Younger Dryas around 12 000 years ago
What 3 sources of evidence do we have to support natural climate change?
Tree rings (fatter rings, higher temperature) Ice cores (more carbon dioxide, higher temperature) Historical records (taken since 1850s)
Describe the medieval warm period.
From 900 - 1300
Warm enough to grow grapes
Temperatures were almost 1 degree C warmer than today
Describe the little ice age.
After medieval warm period
Old paintings of London frost fair on frozen Thames
Historical records of ice reaching Scotland and sightings of Inuits
Describe how the sun’s radiation interacts with the green house effect.
Short wave radiation from sun
Reflects of earth as long wave radiation
Reflects back of of gases
Some long wave radiation escapes
What are the 4 main human factors that contribute to global warming?
Farming (livestock produce methane, cleared trees can’t absorb CO2)
Industry (waste produces methane, industrial processes produce CO2)
Energy (CO2 is made when fossil fuels are burned)
Transport (cars boats and planes produce CO2)
What 4 pieces of evidence do we have for human caused climate change?
Declining arctic ice
Sea level rise (thermal expansion)
Global temperature rise
Extreme weather events
