quaternary period Flashcards
what do we mean by glacials
Cold periods in the earth’s history when glaciers (Ice) have advanced (got bigger/larger)
what are inter glacials
Warmer periods in the earth’s history when glaciers have retreated (gone backwards) and ice sheets have decreased in size.
the quaternary period has been dominated by cold climates and ice shaping the land (true or false)
true
are we experiencing an interglacial period now
yes
the warmer and cooler periods experienced on earth according to milankovich are caused by the combination of two things.. what are they?
Shape of the earth’s orbit around the sun (Circular orbits result in glacials),
Tilt of the earth’s axis (The natural wobble of the Earth as it moves around the sun. This affects the tilt of the Earth and the amount of energy it receives by the sun. The greater the angle of the tilt the hotter the summers and the colder the winters are)
what is one other natural cause of climate change
volcanic eruptions
2 examples of greenhouse gases
Methane,
Carbon dioxide.
what is short wave energy
Light from the sun.
what is long wave energy
heat from the sun.
carbon is one of the most common elements in the environment. where do we find it?
ll organic substances i.e. all living things,
Simple compounds such as CO₂ which exists as a gas in the atmosphere and is dissolved in the oceans.
Complex compounds such for example hydrocarbons found is fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas.
carbon is transferred from one part of the environment to another in a cycle known as
carbon cycle
what is a carbon sink
Places where carbon is stored over very long periods of time.
what is the keeling curve
Graph that shows the rise of CO₂ in the atmosphere
what evidence is there of climate change
ice cores, counting tree rings
