Climate Change Flashcards

Flashcards related to climate change and its effects.

Climate

Weather averaged over time.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases in the atmosphere that trap longwave radiation emanating from the Earth’s surface, insulating the Earth like a blanket.

Greenhouse Effect

A natural phenomenon where greenhouse gases trap infrared radiation, promoting the warming of the atmosphere.

CO2

Carbon dioxide

Permafrost

Soil that remains permanently frozen year-round, seen in northern latitudes above 60°.

Thermohaline Circulation

The roles of temperature and salinity in moving water around the globe.

Ocean Conveyor Belt

Global circulation of ocean waters contributes to the change.

Jet Stream

A wind current.

Gulf Stream

Warm surface water is transported east and north to Greenland, where it cools from contact with cold Canadian air.

Positive Feedback Cycle

Warming leads to more warming.

El Nino

Fertile cold waters no longer rise up along the western South American coasts.

La Nina

Sea surface temperatures are below average.

Phytoplankton

Microscopic photosynthetic marine algae that form the base of many ecological food webs.

Ocean Acidification

Carbonic acid and H+ both lower pH levels, making solutions (such as ocean water) more acidic.

Oxygen-16 (O16)

The most common isotope of oxygen.

Oxygen-18 (O18)

A heavier, rarer isotope of oxygen.

Albedo

Reflectivity; glacial ice (and white clouds) has a high albedo.