questions

Question 1

What is most of our economy based upon? (3)

Answer 1

coal, oil, and gas

Question 2

Why is arctic the air conditioning for the northern hemisphere?

Answer 2

sea ice caps help regulate the earth’s atmosphere. ice helps to reflect some of the sun’s light and heat back into space.

Question 3

Carbon sinks / heat sinks: 2 things that absorb carbon from our atmosphere

Answer 3

ocean and rainforests

Question 4

4 greenhouse gases

Answer 4

1. methane
2. nitrous oxide
3. carbon dioxide
4. water vapour

Question 5

How are we impacted by climate change?

Answer 5

Extreme heat waves / health

Question 6

2 ways we can take action to reduce climate change

Answer 6

recycling and reducing energy consumption

Question 7

what is the importance of up-cycling?

Answer 7

reducing waste that helps reuse materials

Question 8

What is a heat sink?

Answer 8

world’s oceans, which absorb and store a significant amount of heat from the atmosphere, regulating global temperatures.

Question 9

what is IPCC

Answer 9

International panel of climate change (take decisive actions)

Question 10

What is the ozone layer

Answer 10

Shield in sky to protect us from the sun’s harmful rays

Question 11

Why is the atmosphere layer important?

Answer 11

Without this layer, most solar energy reaching earth would radiate back into space; average temperature would be 34 degrees celsius lower than today (really hot days and freezing cold nights)

Question 12

weather definition - 5 example - 3 weather conditions

Answer 12

Specific atmospheric conditions that occur at a particular place & time

Example: sun, wind, rain, snow, frost

Weather Conditions: tornado, blizzard, storm

Question 13

climate definition - 3 examples - 6 factors determining climate

Answer 13

Average weather conditions that occur over a long period of time

examples: tropical, dry, temperate

factors determining climate: latitude, elevation, ocean currents, nearby bodies of water, topography, prevailing winds

Question 14

4 factors that affect climate change (natural greenhouse gas effect)

Answer 14

1. Solar radiation
2. Land and sea ice changes
3. Volcanic eruptions
4. Methane / Nitrous oxide

Question 15

4 factors that affect climate change (anthropogenic effect)

Answer 15

1. Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CO2, CH4, N2O)
2. Deforestation
3. Land Use Changes
4. Human Activities (burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, transportation, agriculture)

Question 16

3 methods of energy transfer

Answer 16

1. Radiation
2. Conduction
3. Convection.

Question 17

What is it called when energy is transferred in a form of waves/particles, radiates thermal energy, and has NO medium?

Answer 17

Radiation

Question 18

example of radiation

Answer 18

sunlight -> space -> earth -> heat / light

Question 19

description of conduction

Answer 19

transfer of thermal energy between 2 objects forming DIRECT CONTACT

Question 20

example of conduction

Answer 20

metal spoon -> hot cup of tea -> heat from tea -> conducted through the spoon

Question 21

description of convection

Answer 21

transfer of energy through movement of particles in liquids / gas (fluids)

Question 22

what does motion create?

Answer 22

convection current

Question 23

example of convection

Answer 23

steam rising from a boiling pot of water -> heat from the bottom of the pot rises up -> water heats up -> less dense -> rises as steam -> cooler water moves down

Question 24

how much solar radiation do atmospheric gases above poles receive?

Answer 24

very little since gases are much colder
-> lose energy & contract -> makes air more dense

Question 25

anthropogenic greenhouse gas effect

Answer 25

caused by human activities (burning fossil fuels)

Question 26

natural greenhouse gas effect

Answer 26

gases that are naturally produced that trap heat to make it warm enough to support life

Question 27

why is the anthropogenic effect bad if there is already heat trapped in there air because of NGG effect

Answer 27

because the ngg traps heat just enough to support life but having human actives release more greenhouse gas emissions starts trapping more heat that disrupts ecosystems, lifestyles, etc.

Question 28

what is albedo

Answer 28

the measurement of the % of light that an object REFLECTS

Question 29

what has high albedo

Answer 29

clean snow - reflects more light back into atmosphere (cooling effect)

Question 30

what has low albedo

Answer 30

soil - dark in color that absorbs more heat and less reflection (heating effect)

Question 31

2 classifications of a positive feedback loop and an example

Answer 31

1. INCREASE in the effect of interacting particles / INCREASE in global warming
2. DECREASE in albedo (absorption0

example: melting ice

Question 32

2 classifications of a negative feedback loop

Answer 32

1. DECREASE effect of interacting parts/ DECREASE in global warming

example: increase in global warming -> more evaporation (greenhouse gas) -> clouds (white) -> more reflection (albedo) -> DECREASE in global warming

Question 33

what are carbon sinks?

Answer 33

natural/artificial reservoirs that ABSORB and store carbon dioxide

Question 34

what are carbon sources?

Answer 34

processes/activities that RELEASE carbon dioxide (burning fossil fuels)

Question 35

how do solar panels work?

Answer 35

sun shines on solar panel -> light is absorbed -> converting energy from sun into power

Question 36

how does the natural greenhouse effect work?

Answer 36

First receiving solar radiation from the sun. This incoming solar radiation enters the Earth’s atmosphere, with some of it being absorbed by the surface while the rest is reflected back into space by the planet’s albedo, which refers to its reflective properties. The absorbed solar energy warms the Earth’s surface, causing it to emit infrared radiation. Gases such as methane and water vapor, then trap a portion of this infrared radiation, preventing it from escaping directly into space. This trapped infrared radiation effectively acts as a thermal blanket, maintaining a stable temperature necessary for sustaining life on Earth.