climate change unit test friday!

greenhouse effect

a natural process whereby gases and clouds absorb infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface and radiate it, heating the atmosphere and Earth’s surface

greenhouse gas definition and what are some names

any gas in the atmosphere that can absorb infrared radiation

Examples: CO2, H2O, N2O, Ozone, CFCs, CH4

carbon sink

a reservoir that absorbs CO2 and stores it in a different form

Example: Trees take in CO2 to turn it into sugars for energy

how (why) do greenhouse gases absorb infrared radiation

they consist of more than one atom, and different atoms:

Examples:

Bad Absorbers

H2, O2

• Can only vibrate one way

Good Absorbers

H2O, N2O, CH4, CO2, CFCs

• Can vibrate in more than one way, and can absorb different types of energy

Continental Drift

Theory that Earth was big super continent called Pangaea

Plate Tectonics

Theory explaining the slow movement of the Earth’s large plates

How do Volcanic Eruptions affect the climate

They erupt rock, dust, and sulfur dioxide gases high into the air, causing some of the sun’s radiation to be reflecting back into space

El Niño

a recurring change in both the pacific winds and ocean currents, causing warm, moist air (and warm water) to be pushed from Australia to South America

Anthropogenic sources of Greenhouse Gases

CO2, N2O, CH4, CFCs

Name a source for each greenhouse gas

• CO2

• CH4

• N2O

• CFCs

CO2: Burning fossil fuels, Deforestation

CH4: Agriculture (Cattle, Rice Farming), decay of organic material, and coal mining and natural gas extraction

N2O: Livestock feed and waste

CFCs: Leaks out from fridges, air conditioners, or industrial processes

7 signs of climate change

• Rising Sea Levels

• Rising Temperatures

• Melting sea ice, glaciers, & ice sheets

• Change in precipitation

• Change in severe weather

• Change in seasons

• Change in ecosystems

Past Clues of Climate Change?

Ice Cores, Tree Rings, Coral Reefs, Cave, Rock, Ocean Sediments,

Albedo Effect

The measure of a surface’s reflectivity from the sun’s radiation

Melting Glaciers - Impact from Climate Change

Glaciers disappear = water shortage

Artic sea ice melting = loss of biodiversity: habitats of animals like polar bears

What is Thermal Expansion

Water expands slightly when it warms up. Sea levels are believed to rise due to thermal expansion

Melting Permafrost - Artic Effects on World

Enhanced release of CO2 and Methane

Stored in higher amounts in permafrost

How does an ICE CORE reveal past clues of climate?

Ice cores are cut into very thin slices to test the air bubbles in each slice for various gases to establish how much carbon dioxide, methane, & nitrous oxide was in the air when the air bubble formed.

How does a TREE RING reveal past clues of climate?

Trees create one growth ring per year. You can assemble clues from both living and dead trees to collect records of climate going back as far as 10 000 years

What is the Rainshadow effect?

When clouds are blown upward over a mountain, and lose their moisture as rain falls on the windward side, resulting in less rainfall for the leeward of the mountain.

What is Convection current?

A circular current of air and other liquids as the result of warm liquid rising, and cold liquid sinking.

Meaning it happens during uneven amounts of heating liquid or gas which creates the current.

What is Thermohaline circulation?

The continuous flow of water as a result of the temperature differences and salinity in the oceans.

How does CORAL REEFS reveal past clues of climate?

Like trees, coral reefs grow a layer each season, and scientists (or wtv) can research the temperature of the surface ocean water when each layer was growing

How does Rock, Ocean Sediment, and Caves reveal past clues of climate?

Layers of rock build up overtime. Information from these buildups can contain clues about plant pollen or fossils to the climate at that time in that location.