Snowball Earth Hypothesis

Question 1

Describe the ice albedo feedback

Answer 1

Cooling of the planet causes ice to spread reflecting more sunlight and cooling the planet further

Question 2

Geological evidence for snowball earth

Answer 2

Paleomagnetism indicating a low latitude of sediments containing drop stones

Question 3

What meant the snowball earth melted

Answer 3

The build up of co2 in the atmosphere

Question 4

When did the first animal fossils form

Answer 4

580 million years ago

Question 5

What cooled the climate and triggered snowball earth

Answer 5

Equatorial distribution of continents causing high weathering rates

Question 6

What were the conditions like immediately after snowball earth

Answer 6

Hot and wet climate caused by low albedo and high atmospheric CO2 levels

Question 7

What creates heat

Answer 7

Creation of oceanic crust and outgassing of volatiles

Question 8

What concentration of carbon did it have to get to in order to start melting

Answer 8

100x current concentrations

Question 9

What are the 2 pieces of evidence for snowball earth

Answer 9

Paleo magnetism

Drop stones

Question 10

What process goes into overdrive once the melting is over

Answer 10

Silicate weathering

Question 11

What feature forms after glaciation

Answer 11

Cap carbonates

Question 12

How many snowball earth events have their been

Answer 12

At least 3