Chapter 11: Climate Change

what is the basic function of carbon in living things

Carbon is the core building block that makes up all living things on Earth.

How is carbon removed from the atmosphere?

Plants remove carbon dioxide (\(CO_{2}\)) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis

What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?

6CO2 +6H2O+ Sunlight -> C6H12O6 +6O2  

What processes add carbon back into the atmosphere?

Cellular respiration and the burning of fossil fuels.

What is the chemical equation for cellular respiration?

C6H12O6 +6O2 -> 6CO2 +6H2O + ATP  

What human activities increase carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Burning fossil fuels and deforestation (cutting down trees that remove carbon dioxide).

climate change

all of the climate-related effects associated with greenhouse gas emissions

global warming

increase in global atmosphere temperature due to the rise in greenhouse gas emissions

greenhouse effect

natural warming of the planet so that living things can exist

enhanced greenhouse effect

unnatural warming of the planet due to increased amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human activity

greenhouse gases

-gases that trap heat in the atmosphere

-carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor

carbon dioxide

-cellular respiration

-deforestation

-burning of fossil fuels

C3H8 +5O2 →3CO2 + 4H2O

methane

-methanogenic bacteria in ruminants

greenhouse gas emissions by sector

1) Energy

2)Industrial processes

3) Agriculture

4)waste

climate change effects

1) changing agriculture

2) changing plant and animal distributions

3) increase in ranges of pests

4) melting glaciers

5) sea level rise

6) more acidic oceans

7) flooding and drought

8) increased global temperature

9) longer growing season - last frost in the spring to the first frost in the fall

mitigation

-reduces the effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions

-renewable energy

adaptation

-ways to strengthen infrastructure against the effects of climate change

-sea walls, migration

how to remove CO2 (carbon dioxide)

-photosynthesis

-carbon capture and storage

combat climate change

1) decrease fossil fuel use

-alternative energy/renewables

(solar, wind, hydroelectric-dam →disruption, nuclear-waste →terrorism & accidents

2) use less energy

-energy efficient appliances

-eat local foods

-shade trees

3) green building methods

-insulation

-double paned windows

4) 3 r’s (reduse , reuse, recycle )

5) biofuels

-ethanol