Global Warming & Climate Change: Vocabulary Flashcards (Lecture Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the notes on global warming, climate change, radiation, oceans, pH chemistry, pollution, and related topics.

Greenhouse gases

Gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat by absorbing infrared radiation, warming the surface (examples include water vapor, CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, SF6).

Greenhouse effect

Warming of Earth's surface caused by greenhouse gases absorbing infrared radiation and re‑emitting it back toward the planet.

Solar radiation

Energy from the sun that reaches Earth, including infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), and visible light.

Infrared radiation (IR)

Heat energy emitted by Earth and absorbed by greenhouse gases; longer-wavelength part of solar radiation.

Ultraviolet radiation (UV)

Short-wavelength solar radiation absorbed by ozone; drives photochemical reactions in the atmosphere.

Visible light

Portion of the spectrum detectable by the human eye; part of the solar radiation reaching Earth.

Shorter wavelengths

Higher-energy radiation; for example UV has shorter wavelengths and is more energetic than visible light.

Anthropogenic climate change

Climate change caused by human activities, notably burning fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gases.

Global warming potential (GWP)

Relative measure of how much heat a gas traps in the atmosphere over a specific time, compared to CO2 (CO2 is 1).

CO2 (carbon dioxide)

A greenhouse gas produced by burning fossil fuels; used as the baseline for GWP values; atmospheric concentrations are rising (ppm).

Methane

CH4, a potent greenhouse gas with a high short‑term GWP (about 28 over 100 years).

Nitrous oxide

N2O, a greenhouse gas with a high GWP (≈265).

SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride)

A very potent greenhouse gas with a high GWP (≈23,500).

CO2 concentration (ppm)

Amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, measured in parts per million; rising over time.

Temperature anomaly

Difference between observed temperature and a reference baseline, used to show warming trends.

Rainfall anomaly

Deviation of rainfall from a baseline average, indicating wetter or drier trends.

Pan evaporation

A hydrology measurement of evaporation rate from a standardized pan.

Anthropogenic influences on climate change

Human-caused factors (e.g., burning fossil fuels) that increase greenhouse gas concentrations and drive climate change.

Thermal balance

Equilibrium between incoming solar radiation and outgoing reemitted radiation.

Thermal imbalance

Net gain of heat by Earth (absorbing more heat than it releases), leading to warming.

Ocean acidification

Ocean pH decreases as seawater absorbs CO2, forming carbonic acid and altering carbonate chemistry.

pH

A measure of how acidic or basic a solution is; pH = -log10[H+].

Kw (ion product of water)

Kw = [H+][OH−] = 1.0×10−14 at 25°C; used in pH/pOH calculations.

pKw

The negative logarithm of Kw; equals 14 at 25°C.

pH + pOH = 14

At 25°C, the sum of pH and pOH in aqueous solutions equals 14.

Multiprotic acid

An acid that donates more than one proton per molecule (e.g., H2SO4); increases total [H+] in solution.

Strong acid

An acid that fully dissociates in water, releasing all possible H+ ions.

NOx

Nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2) produced by combustion; contribute to smog and ozone formation.

Photochemical smog

Brown haze formed by sunlight-driven reactions between NOx and VOCs, producing ozone and other oxidants.

NO2

Nitrogen dioxide; a key pollutant in photochemical smog that can form ozone in the presence of light.

Ozone (tropospheric ozone, O3)

Ground-level ozone formed by reactions involving NOx and VOCs; harmful to health and vegetation.

VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

Emitted from fuels, solvents, and vegetation; participate in ozone formation in smog.

Catalytic converters

Vehicle exhaust treatment devices using catalysts (e.g., Pt, Pd, Rh) to convert CO, NOx, and VOCs into less harmful substances.

Ozonolysis

Chemical cleavage of alkenes by ozone to form carbonyl compounds (aldehydes/ketones).

Ozone cracking

Formation of cracks in elastomers due to ozone attack, especially under tension; cracks form perpendicular to strain.

Ozone-resistant elastomers

Materials resistant to ozone attack (e.g., EPDM, Viton, Neoprene, silicone, Hypalon, polyurethanes).

Troposphere

The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where weather occurs and photochemical smog forms.

Stratosphere

The atmospheric layer above the troposphere; contains the ozone layer that absorbs UV radiation.

Sea ice extent

The area covered by sea ice; has been declining due to warming; affects albedo.

Albedo

Reflectivity of a surface; higher albedo (e.g., ice) reflects more solar radiation, reducing warming.

Global temperature rise

Long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to enhanced greenhouse effect.

Extreme weather

Weather events that are more frequent and intense as a result of climate change (e.g., bushfires, droughts, floods, cyclones).

Ocean thermal expansion

Expansion of seawater as it warms, contributing to higher sea levels.

Sea level rise

Increase in the average level of the sea surface, partly from thermal expansion and melting ice.