Topic 4 Flashcards
Which two are the most significant greenhouse gases?
CO2 and water vapour
What processes releases CO2?
Cell respiration and combustion of fossil fuels
How is water vapour formed?
By evaporation from the oceans and transpiration in plants
How is CO2 removed from the atmosphere?
By photosynthesis and by being dissolved into oceans
How is water vapour removed from the atmosphere?
By rain and snow
Why does the temperature drops so much more quickly at night in areas with clear skies than in areas with cloud cover
Water continues to retain heat after it condenses to form droplets of liquid water in clouds. The water absorbs heat energy and radiates it back to the Earth’s surface and also reflects the heat energy back
What are the other 2 greenhouse gases you need to know about?
Nitrogen oxide and methane
What emitts methane?
Marshes/ water logged sites, fossil fuel extraction and ice caps melting
What releases nitrogen oxide?
Bacteria in some habitats, vehicle exhausts and agriculture
What two prominent gases are NOT greenhouse gases?
Oxygen and nitrogen because they do not absorb long wavelength radiation
What type of radiation is absorbed by the earths surface?
Short wavelength from the sun and then re-emitts it as long
What type of radiation is the long radiation that is emitted?
Infrared with a peak wavelength of 10,000 nm
When the earth re-amitts the long wavelength radiation what is it absorbed by?
Greenhouse gases
Most of the solar radiation is what?
U.V.
What percent of solar radiation reaches earth?
70-75
What were the co2 concentrations until the late 18th century?
260-280 ppm
What is the correlation between the co2 concentrations at the start of the industrial revolution and global temperatures?
Increasing
When was the main impact of the industrial revolution?
second half of the 20th century – combustion of coal, oil, natural gas increased
What should we do about oppositions to climate change?
Evaluate them based on reliable evidence as not all sources can be trusted
What are species?
Groups of organisms that can potentially interbreed to produce fertile offspring
What are hybrids and why are they infertile?
Hybrids are when two different species produce offspring that are infertile
What is a population?
Group of the same species living in the same area at the same time
