Quiz 3 Reviewer: Climate Change and the Greenhouse Effect

Review flashcards on climate change, the natural greenhouse effect, the enhanced greenhouse effect, and scientific evidence from Quiz 3 reviewer notes.

What are the five human activities listed that enhance the greenhouse effect?

Burning fossil fuels, raising livestock, rice farming, deforestation, and application of commercial fertilizers.

Which human activity involving the combustion of hydrocarbons enhances the greenhouse effect?

Burning fossil fuels

What two agricultural activities produce methane gas?

Raising livestock and rice farming

What greenhouse gas is produced by raising livestock?

Methane gas

What greenhouse gas is produced by rice farming?

Methane gas

How does deforestation contribute to the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Deforestation reduces the number of trees available to remove carbon dioxide from air.

What gas do trees remove from the air that is affected by deforestation?

Carbon dioxide

Which agricultural activity serves as a major source of nitrous oxide emissions?

Commercial fertilizer application in agriculture (or application of commercial fertilizers)

What major greenhouse gas emission is caused by commercial fertilizer application?

Nitrous oxide emissions

What are three forms of scientific evidence of climate change listed in the reviewer?

Ice core records, sea-level measurements, and long-term temperature records.

What type of historical core sampling provides scientific evidence of climate change?

Ice core records

What type of ocean height data provides scientific evidence of climate change?

Sea-level measurements

What historical thermal data serves as scientific evidence of climate change?

Long-term temperature records

What is the primary importance of the natural greenhouse effect for Earth's climate?

It maintains Earth's temperature suitable for life.

What state of water does the natural greenhouse effect keep Earth's surface warm enough to support?

Liquid water

What type of radiation from the Sun passes through Earth's atmosphere and carries energy to its surface?

Shortwave solar radiation (mainly visible light)

What form of light mainly comprises incoming shortwave solar radiation?

Visible light

What type of radiation is emitted by Earth's surface after absorbing energy from the Sun?

Longwave infrared radiation

What would Earth's average global temperature approximately be without the natural greenhouse effect?

Approximately $-18^\circ\text{C}$

Without natural greenhouse gases, to what temperature would Earth's average temperature drop, making the planet far too cold for life?

$-180^\circ\text{C}$ (or $-18^\circ\text{C}$)

Which atmospheric gas makes up approximately $78\%$ of Earth's atmosphere?

Nitrogen ($\text{N}_2$)

What percentage of Earth's atmosphere is composed of Nitrogen ($\text{N}_2$)?

Approximately $78\%$

What is the definition of global warming?

The long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature.

What term describes long-term changes in Earth's temperature, rainfall, and other climate patterns?

Climate change

What frozen natural surface feature reflects a large amount of incoming solar radiation back into space?

Snow and ice

What role do snow and ice play regarding incoming solar radiation?

They reflect a large amount of incoming solar radiation back into space.

What form of energy is produced when land and ocean surfaces absorb shortwave solar radiation?

Thermal energy (heat)

What does the term 'ocean heat content' refer to?

The total amount of heat stored in the world's oceans.

What evidence does ocean heat content provide?

Evidence of global warming

What is glacial retreat?

The melting or shrinking of glaciers.

What does glacial retreat worldwide serve as evidence of?

Climate change

What primary function do atmospheric greenhouse gases serve in regulating Earth's temperature?

They absorb outgoing longwave heat and re-radiate some of it back toward Earth.

What do greenhouse gases do with absorbed heat?

Greenhouse gases re-radiate absorbed heat.

Why do ground temperatures remain relatively warm during the night after the Sun sets?

Because greenhouse gases absorb outgoing ground heat and radiate a portion of it back downward.

What is the first step in the cause-and-effect chain for the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Increased greenhouse gases

In the enhanced greenhouse effect chain, what happens immediately after greenhouse gases increase?

More infrared radiation trapped in the atmosphere

In the enhanced greenhouse effect chain, what occurs when more infrared radiation is trapped in the atmosphere?

Less heat escapes into space

What is the final result of the cause-and-effect chain for the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Rising global temperatures

What is the full four-step cause-and-effect chain for the enhanced greenhouse effect?

Increased greenhouse gases → More infrared radiation trapped in the atmosphere → Less heat escapes into space → Rising global temperatures

What happens when human activities steadily increase greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere?

The atmosphere traps extra outgoing heat, causing global temperatures to rise.

Why do climate scientists evaluate multiple independent lines of evidence like ice cores, sea levels, and temperature logs?

Because combining consistent findings across diverse systems provides robust confirmation of climate trends.

How do solar energy and infrared heat differ in their interaction with Earth's atmosphere?

Solar energy passes through easily, while infrared heat is partially trapped by greenhouse gases.

Does oxygen trap heat in the atmosphere?

No, oxygen does not trap heat in the atmosphere.

Does local day-to-day weather contradict long-term global climate trends?

No, local day-to-day weather does not contradict long-term global climate trends.

How does global warming affect temperatures across time and geography?

Global warming affects planetary averages over decades, not uniform daily heat everywhere.

Does global warming result in uniform daily heat everywhere?

No, it affects planetary averages over decades, not uniform daily heat everywhere.

What surfaces absorb shortwave solar radiation to generate thermal energy?

Land and ocean surfaces

In which direction do greenhouse gases radiate a portion of ground heat at night?

Back downward

What type of heat is partially trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

Infrared heat (outgoing longwave heat)

What independent lines of evidence are specifically cited as confirming climate trends when combined?

Ice cores, sea levels, and temperature logs