Climate Change Mid-Term Exam

Climate

The long-term weather patterns in a given area, over months or more

Weather

The short-term atmospheric conditions that can change from hour to hour, or from day to day

Latitude

The distance north or south of the Earth's equator, influences climate by determining the amount of solar energy received.

Longitude

The distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, affects climate, weather patterns, and the distribution of solar energy.

IPCC

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an organization that assesses scientific knowledge related to climate change and provides policymakers with data to inform decisions.

Temperature Anomaly 1: Urban Heat Effect

Increased temperature in urban settings compared to surrounding rural areas due to human activities.

Temperature Anomaly 2: El Niño

The warming of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Cherry picking

Cutting out facts or data to support a specific argument, leading to an overall incorrect picture.

Glacial periods

Periods of time when global temperatures were significantly lower, leading to the expansion of ice sheets and glaciers.

Interglacial periods

Warmer periods between glacial periods that rise global temperatures and lead to melting ice sheets.

Icehouse Earth

Periods of significant ice sheet coverage and cooler global temperatures.

Little Ice Age

A period from the 14th to the 19th century marked by cooler decades influencing climate and agriculture across Europe and North America.

Medieval Warming Period

A warmer period during the Middle Ages (10th to 14th century) that allowed agricultural expansion in Europe.

How is temperature measured directly?

Thermometers and satellites.

Proxies for temperature

Tools used to estimate past temperatures: historical records, ice cores, and tree rings.

Electromagnetic Radiation

The range of wavelengths emitted by the sun and absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, important for understanding climate.

Albedo Effect

The measure of reflectivity of a surface, affecting how much sunlight is reflected into the atmosphere.

The Carbon Cycle

A natural process that regulates carbon amounts in the atmosphere through photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and fossil fuel combustion.

Mixed Ocean Layer

A layer within the ocean where warm and cold waters mix, facilitating the exchange of carbon between atmosphere and ocean.

Feedbacks

Reactions that occur within climate systems in response to changing conditions

Climate Sensitivity

The measure of how responsive the Earth's climate system is to changes in greenhouse gas concentrations.

Solar Cycle

Periodic changes in the amount of solar energy output from the sun that influence climate patterns.

Forced Variability

Changes in climate due to external factors such as human activities and natural disasters.

Unforced Variability

Natural climate changes that occur without external influences, driven by internal dynamics like ocean currents.

Kaya Identity

The driving forces of carbon emissions: Impact = Population + Affluence + Technology

Energy Intensity

The amount of energy consumed per unit, indicating how efficiently an economy uses energy.

Carbon Intensity

The amount of carbon emissions produced per unit of energy consumed

Precipitation

water vapor condenses and falls back to the Earth's surface, important for the water cycle.

Mitigation

Strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and planning to transition to renewable energy sources.

Adaptation

Communities enhancing resilience through infrastructure improvements and disaster preparedness to better withstand climate impacts.

Tipping Points

Critical thresholds in the climate system which climate change can’t be reversed

Electromagnetic Spectrum

Radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays, gamma rays

Radiative Balance and Energy Balance

energy in, energy out, which is crucial for maintaining the Earth's climate.

Incandescent Lighting

electric light that produces light through the heating of a metal filament, which leads to energy consumption and warming the environment.

LED Lighting

light-emitting diodes that convert electricity directly into light, producing less heat and reducing overall energy consumption.

Layers of Albedo

• Ice and Snow: High albedo

• Water: Lower albedo

• Forests and Vegetation: Varies depending on the type

Types of Atmospheric Gases and Concentrations

• Carbon Dioxide

• Methane

• Nitrogen Oxide

• Halocarbons

• Argon

Photosynthesis

green plants, algae, bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy, using carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen.

Respiration

glucose + oxygen = energy, produces CO2 as byproduct, returning carbon into the atmosphere

Deep Ocean

cold, dense water resides, carbon storage + influencing global climate patterns.

Isotopes and Radio Carbon Dating

A technique used to determine the age of organic materials by measuring the ratio of carbon isotopes, which leads to providing insights into past atmospheric and oceanic conditions.

Aerosols

solid or liquid particles in the atmosphere that can influence climate by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth and making cloud formations, affecting temperature and precipitation patterns.

Methane

a potent greenhouse gas that is more effective than CO2, emitted through agricultural practices, landfills, and fossil fuel extraction.

Plate Tectonics

The movement of the Earth's lithosphere is responsible for earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountains.

Milakovitch Cycles:

Climate patterns resulting from variations in Earth's orbit and axial tilt, affects the distribution of sunlight, reasons for Ice Age.

Climate Models

computational tools used to predict climate behavior by incorporating physical processes like atmosphere, oceans, land surfaces, and ice.

What are the causes of droughts?

• Increased temperatures

• Over-extraction of water resources

What are the causes of floods?

• Heavy rainfall

• Urbanization: contributing to surface runoff and flooding.

• Climate change: Altered weather patterns may result in more frequent and severe storms

Sea level rise

Increased temperatures and melting ice caps

Ocean Acidification

As CO2 levels rise, oceans absorb more carbon dioxide, leading to increased acidity, which affects marine life and coral reef health.

What causes Hurricanes?

• warm ocean waters + moisture in the atmosphere + wind patterns