Y9 Test One - Climate Change Flashcards
what is climate change?
any change in global temperatures and precipitation (rainfall) over time, due to natural or human activity
what is global warming?
the gradual warming of the Earth’s atmosphere
what is carbon dioxide?
CO2; a gas found in the Earth’s atmosphere; a greenhouse gas
what is the natural greenhouse effect?
Sun’s rays pass through atmosphere > greenhouse gases trap some of the heat > rest of heat is reflected into space
GHG stands for…
greenhouse gases
what are the main greenhouse gases?
water vapour; carbon dioxide; methane; nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas)
what is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
Sun’s rays pass through atmosphere >
human activity causes more GHG to be produced > they trap more heat than is needed; damaging to the Earth (also known as global warming)
what are some key facts about methane?
20% stronger than carbon dioxide
comes from organisms that have died and changed into fossils; rises to the surface when fossil fuels are mined
what is the difference between climate change and global warming?
climate change: change in climate/precipitation over time (can become colder, more dry, etc)
global warming: steady rise in Earth’s temperatures
what is some evidence for climate change?
evidence from tree rings; changing weather; evidence from ice cores; sea level rise; warning signs from nature; evidence from artwork; glacial retreat; melting ice sheets; paintings
what are the greenhouse gases?
natural insulators for the Earth
what are some effects of global warming?
seas warm, undergoing thermal expansion
sea level rise
heavy flooding, especially in low-lying areas (such as the Maldives)
animals, plants, etc dying out due to environmental changes
ice-free summers
environmental refugees (fleeing due to homes being ruined because of climate change)
what is adaptation?
action to manage the risks of climate change impacts
what is mitigation?
action to reduce emissions that cause climate change
what are some solutions for adapting to climate change?
agriculture; water supply; reducing risk from sea level rise
what are some solutions for mitigating climate change?
alternative energy; carbon capture; international agreements; replanting trees
what is alternative energy?
using alternative energy such as solar, wind or tidal can reduce the use of fossil fuels. This will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
what is carbon capture?
this is the removal of carbon dioxide from waste gases from power stations and then storing it in old oil and gas fields or coal mines underground. This reduces the amount of emissions into the atmosphere.
what is reducing risk from sea level risk?
areas at risk from sea level rise may use sea defences to protect the land from being eroded away
what is agriculture (adaptation)?
farmers will have to adapt as some crops may not be able to grow in a warmer climate. However, other crops (eg oranges and grapes) will be able to be planted.
what are water supply schemes?
water transfer schemes could be used. This is where water is transferred from an area of water surplus to an area of water shortage.
what do international agreements do to help?
2005; Kyoto Protocol > countries that signed up to the treaty pledged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions
2016; Paris Agreement > united all the world’s nations in a single agreement on tackling climate change. The agreement aims to limit global warming to well below 2°C, ideally no more than 1.5°C
what are orbital changes?
the Earth has natural cooling and warming periods, caused by the Milankovitch Cycles, a theory that describes the effects of the Earth’s movements on its climate
changes due to orbit; axial tilt, apehelion, perihelion, etc
what does volcanic activity do?
during a volcanic eruption carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere
what does solar output do?
there can be fluctuations in the amount of radiation from the sun. If there is high amount emitted there will be an increase in Earth’s temperatures
what is apehelion?
point in Earth’s orbit that is closest to the Sun
what is perihelion?
point in Earth’s orbit that is furthest away from the Sun
what is precession?
change in axial tilt of the Earth
natural causes for climate change
orbital changes
volcanic activity
solar output
