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Explain the negative effects of deforestation. Be sure to include and discuss why it has such a negative impact in regards to the carbon cycle.
Deforestation is the cutting down of large amounts of forests. Since photosynthetic organisms are part of the carbon cycle in terms of removing carbon, the destruction of large areas of forest increases the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This is because less trees are removing the CO2 and converting it to oxygen.
What happens to Earth’s temperatures when meteors crash into the Earth? Remember that this is in regards to our climate.
When meteorites crash into the earth, they can send tons of tiny particles up into the atmosphere because of the impact. These tiny particles can block the sunlight. When sunlight is blocked from reaching the, global temperatures can cool down.
Biomass is the burning of organic matter such as wood, peat, and plant oils. When these items are burned, how do they impact the carbon cycle?
The burning of biomass does not impact the carbon cycle because the burning of them releases carbon that was absorbed by the growing of the tree/plant. There is additional carbon as the same carbon absorbed from the atmosphere from the plant during its growth, is the same carbon released whether by people burning it or by it decaying and decomposing naturally.
How do natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions impact climate? Is this a short term or long term change?
Volcanic eruptions emit dust and ash into the atmosphere. This can block sunlight and lower temperatures for anywhere from a few days to a few years. This is considered a long term effect as the carbon dioxide can remain in the atmosphere for a long period of time. (The cooling effect is more short term)
How do growing seasons impact carbon capture in plants?
Plants absorb more CO2 during the spring and summer months as they are actively growing during those seasons. During the fall and winter months many plants go dormant or die, which decreases the amount of CO2 that is actively being removed from the atmosphere.
What is the greenhouse effect and how does it work?
The greenhouse effect is how certain gasses in the atmosphere are able to absorb and trap heat from the sun. This is a natural phenomena that helps keep the earth warm. The atmosphere acts as insulation to trap heat by absorbing the sun’s energy and then reflecting some of it either out to space or towards the earth.
Discuss things about the Earth that impact our climate.
There are multiple things that impact Earth’s climate. The first is our revolution and tilt. Earth’s tilt and revolution both change over time. When the Earth is in a more circular orbit, our overall climate tends to be cooler as we spend more time farther away from the sun. In the same way our tilt has an impact because the greater the tilt, the greater the variation in global temperature and differences between the seasons. Both of these things impact the amount of solar energy areas of earth receive. Another impact is the greenhouse gasses present in the atmosphere. The more gasses such as carbon dioxide and methane are present, the warmer climates become.
What is albedo and how does it affect solar energy absorbed or reflected back into the atmosphere?
Albedo is how reflective a surface is. A high albedo means it is reflecting a great deal of infrared light back into space.
How does urbanization affect climate? Discuss the impact and what can be done to help minimize or reduce that impact.
How does urbanization affect climate? Discuss the impact and what can be done to help minimize or reduce that impact.
What are ways carbon is captured? What are ways carbon is released?
Captured: photosynthesis from plants taking in carbon dioxide, weathering, ocean absorption, geologic capture (fossil fuels)
Released: cellular respiration (organisms exhaling carbon dioxide), decaying matter, combustion
Carbon cycles in the atmosphere at different rates throughout the year. Producers play a huge role in this. Why do carbon rates fluctuate over the course of a year?
Plants have natural growing cycles. During spring and summer months, during the active growing season, plants and trees move more CO2. However, in the fall and winter when many plants and trees go dormant or die, less CO2 is cycled out of the atmosphere.
What are some things that indicate changes to Earth’s climate?
Earth’s polar ice caps shrinking or growing, overall ocean temperatures rising or lowering from the average, percentages of greenhouse gasses changing from the average, ozone layer changing
What are ways that carbon is quickly cycled on Earth?
Photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decaying matter
What are ways that carbon is slowly cycled on Earth?
Ocean and atmosphere exchange, volcanic eruptions, burial of organic matter (sedimentary rock)
What cell organelle is responsible for making proteins?
Ribosomes
Explain how to distinguish between an independent and dependent variable.
An independent variable is a single variable that changes during an experimental investigation. The dependent variable is the variable that responds to the change. It is what I am measuring in an experimental investigation.
