Quaternary Period, GH effect, Climate change, Extreme weather

Question 1

1. What do we mean by glacials?

Answer 1

Cold periods in the earth’s history when glaciers (Ice) have advanced (got bigger/larger.)

Question 2

2. What are interglacials?

Answer 2

Warmer periods in the earth’s history when glaciers have retreated (gone backwards) and ice sheets have decreased in size.

Question 3

3. The Quaternary period has been dominated by cold climates and ice shaping the land

Answer 3

True.

Question 4

4. Are we experiencing an interglacial period now

Answer 4

True.

Question 5

5. The warmer and cooler periods experienced on earth, according to Milankovitch, are caused by the combination of two things. What are they?

Answer 5

• The shape of the earth’s orbit around the sun (Circular orbits result in glacials.)
• The tilt of the earth’s axis.

(The natural wobble of the Earth as it moves around the sun 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.)

Question 6

6. What is one other natural cause of climate change?

Answer 6

Volcanic eruptions.

Question 7

7. Give 2 examples of greenhouse gasses

Answer 7

• Methane.

- Carbon dioxide.

Question 8

8. What is short wave energy?

Answer 8

Light from the sun.

Question 9

9. What is longwave energy?

Answer 9

Heat from the sun.

Question 10

10. Carbon is one of the most common elements in the environment. Where do we find it?

Answer 10

• All 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.

Question 11

11. What is a carbon sink?

Answer 11

Places where carbon is stored over very long periods of time.

Question 12

12. Carbon is transferred from one part of the environment to another in a cycle known as

Answer 12

Carbon cycle.

Question 13

13. Describe the greenhouse effect

Answer 13

• Shortwave radiation from the sun hits the earth.
• The earth absorbs this and re-emits it as longwave radiation.
• This is absorbed by the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere and is re-emitted in different directions.
• Some of it’s emitted back out to space and some back down to earth.
• This warms the lower atmosphere.
• Pollutants heighten the effect (the increased greenhouse effect.)

Question 14

14. What is the Keeling curve?

Answer 14

A graph that shows the rise of CO₂ in the atmosphere.

Question 15

15. What evidence is there of climate change?

Answer 15

• Ice cores.

- Tree rings.

Question 16

16. The global circulation is a worldwide system of winds which transports heat from the tropical to polar
    ___1___.

At the equator, ___2___ heats the Earth which in turn heats up the air above. Hot air rises, creating
___3___ pressure.

When the air reaches the ___4___ it cannot go any further and travels north and south.
This air becomes colder and heavier, and at around 30° north and south it falls creating ___5___ pressure.

Air from the north and south then returns to the equator and meets an area known as ___6___.
A large circulation of air is thus created, known as the ___7___ cell.

Air rises again at around 60° north and south and descends again around 90° north and south, creating a further two less distinct cells: The ___8___ cell and the ___9___ cell.

Answer 16

1- Latitudes
2- Insolation
3- Low Pressure
4- Tropopause
5- High Pressure
6- ITCZ
7- Hadley
8- Ferrel
9- Polar

The global circulation is a worldwide system of winds which transports heat from the tropical to polar
𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐬.

At the equator, 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 heats the Earth which in turn heats up the air above. Hot air rises, creating
𝐋𝐨𝐰 pressure.

When the air reaches the 𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 it cannot go any further and travels north and south.
This air becomes colder and heavier, and at around 30° north and south it falls creating 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 pressure.

Air from the north and south then returns to the equator and meets an area known as 𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐙.
A large circulation of air is thus created, known as the 𝐇𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐲 cell.

Air rises again at around 60° north and south and descends again around 90° north and south, creating a further two less distinct cells: The 𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥 cell and the 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 cell.