QUESTIONS Lessons 5-6

Question 1

What is this study called?

What kind of information tree rings can reveal about past climates

Answer 1

Dendrochronology: Analyzing tree rings

Width of the ring
Wide ring indicates cool, wet weather - Rapid tree growth
Thin rings indicate dry, hot conditions - Growth is slower
Colour of the ring
Dark ring - Growth during late summer
Light ring - Growth during spring

Question 2

What can you determine about past climates from looking at…

Physical characteristics:
Composition of trapped air in bubbles:
Composition of water in ice cores:

Answer 2

Physical characteristics of the ice indicate the temperature & humidity at the time the ice formed (Snowflakes, hail, glaciers, and pack ice)
Composition of trapped air bubbles gives us the atmospheric composition of when the ice formed (different layers indicate different greenhouse gases concentrations)
Composition of water tells us the temperature at the time the ice was formed

Question 3

What sediment cores and fossils can reveal about past climates

Answer 3

The composition provides evidence of past climates
ex. Pollen, microscopic organisms, and shells

Types and amounts of fossils provide clues about past climate over billions of years.

Question 4

International initiatives to combat climate change

Answer 4

Paris Agreement: A United Nations agreement about greenhouse gases emissions (started in 2020). Their goal is to keep global average temperature to below 2 °C above pre industrial levels

Question 5

Cap and trade vs. carbon tax (systems)

Answer 5

Cap and trade is a system that limits how much greenhouse gas you can produce. Carbon tax charges you for the amount of greenhouse gas emissions you produce.

Cap and trade = Limits amount
Carbon tax = Charges amount

Question 6

Ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using alternative sources of energy

Answer 6

• Solar
• Wind
• Geothermal (heat)