Unit 1: Section A: Climate Change

Question 1

What is the definition for climate change?

Answer 1

Any significant change in the Earth’s climate over a long period of time

Question 2

How long has the quaternary period lasted to the present day?

Answer 2

2.6 million years to the present day

Question 3

What are the four main sources of evidence for climate change?

Answer 3

Ice and sediment cores
Temperature records
Pollen analysis
Tree rings

Question 4

What method do we do to find evidence for climate change in ice and sediment cores?

Answer 4

Scientists analyse the gases found in layers of ice which tells us what the temperature was each year

Question 5

What method do we do to find evidence for climate change in temperature records?

Answer 5

Since 1850’s we have measured temperatures using thermometers which provide accurate measures

Question 6

What method do we do to find evidence for climate change in pollen analysis?

Answer 6

Pollen from plants gets preserved in sediment so scientists can identify what species were living at that time and compare it to the present day

Question 7

What method do we do to find evidence for climate change in tree rings?

Answer 7

Scientists count the rings from the centre to find the age of the tree and the thickness of a ring determines how the climate was in that year