GEO CORE SUMMARY

The Greenhouse Effect (Natural)

Main greenhouse gases (natural):

• CO₂ (carbon dioxide)

• CH₄ (methane)

• H₂O vapor

• N₂O (nitrous oxide)

The Enhanced Greenhouse Effect (Human-caused)

Burn, chop, fart – that’s how warming starts.

• Burn = fossil fuels

• Chop = deforestation (less CO₂ absorbed)

• Fart = methane from cows & landfills

Feedback Loops

Warmer = worse.”

Example 1: Melting ice = less reflection → more heat absorbed → more melting (called the albedo effect)

Example 2: Melting permafrost = more methane → more warming

Easy Rhyme for Negative Feedback (good):

“More heat, plants eat!” (more CO₂ = more plant growth = less CO₂)

Ocean Currents and Climate

“Oceans are the Earth’s radiator.”

Warm currents = warm coastal areas (e.g., Gulf Stream warms NW Europe)

Melting ice can slow these currents = cooling in some regions

The Carbon Cycle

“CARBON MOVES FAST AND SLOW”

Fast Cycle: plants, animals, atmosphere

e.g., respiration, photosynthesis, decomposition

Slow Cycle: rocks, oceans, fossil fuels

takes millions of years!

Human impact = unbalancing the cycle

“Burning = add. Trees = subtract.”

Albedo Effect

“White = cool, dark = hot.”

Ice/snow = high albedo = reflects sunlight

Water/land = low albedo = absorbs heat

Melting ice = more dark surfaces = more heat = more melting (positive feedback)

Cryosphere Changes

Cryosphere = all the frozen water

Ice caps, glaciers, sea ice, permafrost

Melting → sea level rise + feedback loops

Memory Rhyme:

“Cryosphere cries, oceans rise.”