Unit 5 (Ecology- The Climate Crisis) Flashcards
What are the three greenhouse gases we are learning about?
- CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)
- H2O Vapor (Water Vapor)
- Ch4 (Methane)
The greenhouse gas: CO2
1. How potent is it?
2. What percentage of human greenhouse gas emissions is it?
3. How long does it last?
- Not very potent.
- Carbon Dioxide makes up 82% of human greenhouse gas emissions.
- Thousands of years.
What does it mean for a greenhouse gas to be “potent?”
More potent= causing more global warming
Less potent= causing less (but still some) global warming
The greenhouse gas: CH4
1. How potent is it?
2. What percentage of human greenhouse gas emissions is it?
3. How long does it last?
- It is very potent.
- It makes up 9% of human greenhouse gas emissions.
- A few decades.
The greenhouse gas: H2O Vapor
1. How potent is it?
2. How long does it last?
- Very very potent.
- Only a few days.
If Venus had Earth’s atmosphere it would be _____ than the Earth.
Colder
What is Paleoclimatology?
The study of ancient climates.
What are four proxies of ancient climates?
- Ice Cores
- Ocean Sediment Cores
- Fossils
- Geochemistry of Rocks
What is a “Proxy?”
A representation of something else- in paleoclimatology, a representation of past climate.
What do Ice Cores show us about past climates?
They trap bubbles of ancient air so that we can see ancient atmospheric compositions.
(Ex. How much CO2, how much CH4)
What do Ocean Sediment Cores show us about past climates?
They show us past ocean temperature.
(How? Oxygen ratios)
How far back can we see in the past via ice core data? What do we typically use this data to measure?
- Up to a million years.
- We typically record CO2 levels.
- According to Ice core data what has been the max particles per million for carbon?
- In 2014 this number was surpassed…what is the new number?
- In the last million years carbon level haven’t been higher than 300ppm.
- 400ppm.
What important protist is found in ocean sediment cores? Why is it so important?
- Foraminifera
- Their shells are made out of Calcium Carbonate, which has oxygen.
How do we use Foraminifera to learn the temperature of the ancient ocean?
The amount of oxygen isotopes in their shells indicated ocean temp. when the shells formed.
-They can measure the ratio of oxygen isotopes to determine how much oxygen is in the atmosphere.
-The amount of oxygen in the atmosphere is a big factor in temp.
From what isotope can past temperatures be deduced from? Where is this isotope found?
- Stable Oxygen Isotopes.
- In fossils (specifically Foraminifera.)
What are the two stable Oxygen Isotopes?
18O (Oxygen 18)
16O (Oxygen 16)
What is the notation for “Light Water?”
What is the notation for “Heavy Water?”
Light: H2 18O
Heavy: H2 16O
When we say “Heavy Water”, what does this mean?
This means the water is made the heavier oxygen isotope. It is literally slightly heavier cuz there ate two more neutrons.
Evaporation wise, how are heavy and light water different?
Light Water: Evaporates easier
Heavy Water: Evaporates less easily
(Light water evaporates easier than heavy water)
Heavy water is enriched in _____.
Light water is enriched in _______.
- Water Vapor
- Sea Water
What is heavier, fresh water or sea water?
Sea water is heavier than fresh water. Fresh water is “lighter” than sea water.
Why is the difference in evaporation between light/heavy water exaggerated at lower temps (when it’s colder)?
There isn’t much evaporation happening when it’s cold. So the lighter oxygen is what’s mostly sucked up.
Thermometer readings over the past ____ years show a steady rise of about _____degrees C.
- 140 years
- 1.2 degrees C
