Ecology Week 1

Climate Change, global warming, radiation, CO2

Electromagnetic radiation

Energy emitted by the sun, including invisible light and infrared radiation.

CO2

Greenhouse gas released by burning fossil fuels, trapping heat into the atmosphere.

Greenhouse effect

Greenhouse gases traps heat in the atmosphere, warming the Earth. This process allows Earth to stay warm.

Infrared radiation—>Long range radiation emitted by Earths surface, absorbed by greenhouse gases.

Climate Change

Is The long-term alteration of Earth’s climate system, characterised by shifts in temperature, weather patterns, sea levels, and other environmental conditions over decades to centuries.

Aerosals

Tiny particles in the atmosphere, capable of absorbing or reflecting sunlight.

Radioactive forcing

The difference between sunlight absorbed by Earth and energy radiated back to space.

Albedo

The reflectivity of a surface (e.g., ice reflects more sunlight than ocean).

Anthropocene

·       The period of time during which human activity has impacted the environment enough to constitute a distinct geological change.