Introduction to Climate and Greenhouse Gases

These flashcards cover important vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on climate change, greenhouse gases, the Earth's energy budget, and the impacts of human activity on the environment.

Greenhouse gases

Gases, such as water vapor, methane, and carbon dioxide, that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere.

Earth's energy budget

The balance of energy received from the sun and energy radiated back into space.

Infrared light

A type of light emitted by the Earth as heat, which certain greenhouse gases trap in the atmosphere.

Opacity

The degree to which the atmosphere blocks certain wavelengths of light.

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

A powerful greenhouse gas that absorbs infrared light and is significantly increasing due to human activities.

Planck formula

A formula used to determine the peak wavelength of emission based on an object's temperature.

Albedo

A measure of reflectivity of the Earth's surface; the amount of sunlight reflected without being absorbed.

Acid rain

Rain that has been made acidic by environmental factors, which can dissolve rocks and contribute to the carbon cycle.

Carbonate-silicate cycle

A geological process that regulates Earth's temperature by cycling carbon through weathering, subduction, and volcanic activity.

Ocean acidification

The process by which the ocean becomes more acidic due to increased carbon dioxide absorption, affecting marine life.

pH scale

A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

Methane

A potent greenhouse gas, significantly more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide.

Global temperature anomaly

The difference between the observed temperature and a baseline average temperature over a certain period.

Sea level rise

An increase in the average level of the world's oceans due to factors such as melting ice caps and thermal expansion of water.

Permafrost

Ground that remains completely frozen for at least two consecutive years, which can release methane when it thaws.

Runaway greenhouse effect

A process where a planet's atmosphere becomes extremely hot due to excessive greenhouse gases, potentially leading to the loss of liquid water.

Plate tectonics

The theory explaining the movement of the Earth's plates, affecting geological features and climate regulation.

Mars' atmosphere

A thin atmosphere relative to Earth, which does not support liquid water and contributes to its cold climate.

Venus' atmosphere

A thick, CO2-rich atmosphere that leads to high surface temperatures and potentially a runaway greenhouse effect.