Unit 5: Climate Impacts and Human Civilization

A set of practice flashcards covering early civilizations, natural hazards, resources, climate change feedback loops, Milankovitch cycles, and New York State geological maps.

Why did the earliest civilizations develop along river valleys such as the Nile, Tigris, Euphrates, and Indus?

River valleys provided fresh water, fertile soils, and transportation; additionally, periodic flooding replenished soil nutrients and improved agricultural productivity.

When does a natural hazard officially become a disaster?

A natural hazard becomes a disaster when it causes damage to people, property, or the economy.

Why do many people live near volcanoes despite the hazards?

People live nearby due to fertile soil, tourism, valuable resources, and cultural connections.

How are tsunamis commonly generated?

Tsunamis are commonly generated when earthquakes suddenly shift the ocean floor.

What are aquifers and what risks are associated with excessive pumping?

Aquifers are underground freshwater reservoirs stored within porous and permeable rocks or sediments; excessive pumping can lead to land subsidence (sinking) and permanent loss of groundwater storage.

Why are fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas considered non-renewable?

They cannot be replaced on human time scales as they formed from ancient organic matter over millions of years.

Describe the negative feedback loop involving atmospheric $CO_2$ and plant growth.

Additional $CO_2$ can temporarily increase plant growth through photosynthesis, which in turn removes more $CO_2$ from the atmosphere.

What is the process and impact of ocean acidification?

Oceans absorb $CO_2$ which reacts with sea water to form carbonic acid, lowering ocean pH and damaging coral reefs and shell-building organisms.

How does melting ice create a positive feedback loop?

Melting ice decreases Earth's albedo (reflectivity), which increases warming and leads to further ice melting.

What gas is released by thawing permafrost?

Thawing permafrost releases methane, which is an especially powerful greenhouse gas.

What is the primary purpose of climate models?

Climate models are computer programs that simulate Earth's climate systems to predict long-term trends and evaluate different emission scenarios.

What are Milankovitch cycles?

Milankovitch cycles are long-term variations in Earth's orbit and axial tilt consisting of eccentricity (orbital shape), obliquity (angle of tilt), and precession (axial wobble).

How can melting ice affect thermohaline circulation?

Fresh water from melting ice can lower ocean salinity and slow the thermohaline circulation.

According to orbital cycles alone, what should be the current temperature trend of the Earth?

Based on orbital cycles alone, Earth should be slowly cooling today.

What do scientists assume when modeling both past and future climates?

Scientists assume that the laws of physics remain constant throughout time and space.

On the New York State reference table maps on pages $8$, $9$, and $10$, what are the coordinate directions for all locations?

All latitude and longitude coordinates are North and West.

In the context of New York State landscape regions, what characterizes a plateau?

A plateau consists of either rolling hills or low elevation mountains, such as the Catskills which are part of the Appalachian Plateau.

Where are the newest rocks located on the New York State geological period chart?

The rocks are arranged from oldest at the bottom to most recent at the top.