The Challenge Of Natural Hazards - Climate Change

Question 1

Quaternary

Answer 1

A period of time stretching from 2.6 million years ago

Question 2

Glacial period

Answer 2

A period lasting approximately 100,000 years in which global climate is colder - thick ice sheets accumulate

Question 3

Climate change

Answer 3

Long term shifts in weather patterns

Question 4

Interglacial Period

Answer 4

Period of warmer global climate lasting 100,000 years where ice sheets retreat to poles

Question 5

Evidence for climate change

Answer 5

Rise in sea/atmospheric temperatures

Ice retreating

Forest fires

Decline species

Rise in sea levels

Question 6

Methods to finding evidence of climate change

Answer 6

Instrumental record

Ice cores

Historical Recors

Tree rings

Question 7

Instrumental record

Answer 7

Measuring temperature of Earth’s surface to the exact degree in a specific location

Question 8

Ice cores

Answer 8

Ice sheets reveal layers - record snowfall
Directly correlates with climate change

Question 9

Tree rings

Answer 9

High temperature = trees grow quicker meaning thicker tree rings

Indicates change in temperature

Question 10

Historical records

Answer 10

Paintings, poems, books, diaries

Indicates past climate

Compare to current climate

Question 11

3 Natural causes of climate change

Answer 11

Solar activity

Orbital Changes

Volcanic activity

Question 12

Solar activity

Answer 12

Sun spots - areas of more intense energy

Increase temperature of earth

Question 13

Orbital Changes

Answer 13

Axial tilt - back and forth between 21-24 degrees

Procession - wobble of the earth - long days, long nights

Eccentricity - Path or earths orbit - circa to oval shape

Question 14

Volcanic activity

Answer 14

Ash clouds block sunlight - reduces temperature

Fine droplets of sulphur dioxide and sulphur acid reflect radiation - increase temperature

Question 15

Human causes of climate change

Answer 15

Fossil Fuels

Agriculture

Deforestation

Question 16

Fossil Fuels

Answer 16

Population increases, energy demand increases

Amount of CO2 released increases

Question 17

Agriculture

Answer 17

Release of methane

Contributes to 20% of greenhouse gases

Question 18

Deforestation

Answer 18

Less photosynthesis

More CO2

Question 19

Enhanced greenhouse effect

Answer 19

Thicker layer of greenhouse gases due to HUMAN ACTIVITY

Less heat is able to escape

More heat is reflected back onto earth - Increases temperature

Question 20

Effects of climate change on people

Answer 20

Crop production decreases - income decreases

More diseases spread - e.g malaria

Artic may benefit - reduced heating costs, sailing and fishing is easier

Question 21

Effects of climate change on the environment

Answer 21

Forest fires - reduce biodiversity

Polar regions melting - less survival of polar bears

Coral reefs destroyed

Question 22

Mitigation

Answer 22

Strategies to reduce the causes of climate change

Question 23

Adaptation

Answer 23

Strategies to respond to the new conditions created by climate change

Question 24

Mitigation examples

Answer 24

Alternative energy production - renewable sources

Carbon capture - takes CO2 emissions and stores them safely underground - unclear if it remains captured

Planting trees - Removes atmospheric CO2 through photosynthesis

International agreements - Encourage companies to reduce CO2 emissions - legally binding

Question 25

Adaptation examples

Answer 25

Changes in agricultural systems - Production moves location, irrigation may be needed

Managing water supplies - Reduce demand while increasing supply

Reducing Risk - Flood defences, Renewables become less expensive, Business go green