Climate Change

Question 1

Physical factors causing climate change (4)

Answer 1

1. Changes in the earths stretch, wobble and tilt
2. Plate tectonic movement
3. Ice cap/ ice sheet melting
4. Permafrost melting

Question 2

Changes in earths stretch wobble and tilt

Answer 2

Stretch:
The shape of earths orbit amount sun becomes slightly more then less oval every 100,000 years. Affects amount of energy received
Wobble:
Earth wobbles on its axis as it spins, completing full wobble every 23,000 years
Tilt:
Angle of earths axis relative to plane of orbit changes about 3 degrees every 41,000 years. Greater tilt = more sunlight in polar regions and colder temps

Question 3

Plate tectonic movement

Answer 3

As continental plate moves to higher latitudes it will receive less incoming solar radiation and climate will cool
If it moves to lower latitudes temperatures will rise
Position of land masses and oceans can affect amount of energy reflected back out to space and is lost to climate system

Question 4

Ice cap/ ice sheet melting

Answer 4

Snow and ice affects climate

Because the snow and ice of the cryosphere are light in colour and have a large albedo

Question 5

Permafrost melting

Answer 5

Carbon is frozen deep in Arctic permafrost

As earth warms, scientists worry that some of carbon in permafrost could escape to atmosphere as CO2 or methane

Question 6

Human factors causing climate change

Answer 6

1. Deforestation, peat bog reclamation - increased CO2
2. Land fill sites, padi fields - increased methane
3. Car exhaust fumes, fertilisers - increased nitrous oxides
4. Aerosols - increased chlorofluorocarbons

Question 7

Deforestation

Answer 7

Carbon stored can store up to 100x more carbon than agricultural land

Question 8

Peat big reclamation

Answer 8

Peat burned - CO2 released
Decomposed if mixed with soil
Important carbon sink
Improves soil for growing crops

Question 9

Land fill sites

Answer 9

Rotting food waste

Third largest resource of methane

Question 10

Padi fields

Answer 10

Farmland for rice has doubled in last 45 years
Anaerobic conditions
Padi fields produce methane because they’re grown in waterlogged conditions

Question 11

Car exhaust fumes

Answer 11

Cars also give off CO2 and power plants do too

Question 12

Fertilisers

Answer 12

Fertilisersused cof meeting demands of food

Question 13

Aerosols

Answer 13

Ozone layer hole in Antarctica could disappear by 2060
Responsible for depleting ozone layer
CFC’s found in aerosols
CFC’s banned in many countries in mid 1990’s when found out it was braking ozone layer

Question 14

Iceland

Answer 14

70% of energy is hydroelectric power

Connect electricity to Scotland - sell electricity

Question 15

Maldives

Answer 15

Rise is sea level and land is 1m above sea level
Evacuate by 2100
Fishing - biggest industry
Levels rising 9mm per year

Question 16

Bangladesh

Answer 16

Increased rate of river erosion

Eroded 500 yards in a fortnight

Question 17

Cyclone Isla

Answer 17

Bangladesh 
Rising sea levels 
Climate change - flooding, drought 
Salty water left behind - can't grow crops 
Locals change food production - crabs

Question 18

Explain the greenhouse effect

Answer 18

1. Sunlight passes through atmosphere and warms the earth
2. Infrared radiation is given off by earth
3. Most escapes to outer space, allowing the earth to cool
4. But some IR is trapped by gases in air (including CO2), keeping earth warm enough to sustain life
5. ENHANCED GREENHOUSE EFFECT
   Increasing levels of CO2 increase the amount of heat retained, causing atmosphere and earths surface to heat up

Question 19

Positive effects of climate change in the U.K.

Answer 19

+ Mediterranean summers
+ Higher yields of potatoes and outdoor tomatoes
+ higher fruit and veg growth in England
+ higher plant and shrub grown up north

Question 20

Negative effects of climate change in the U.K.

Answer 20

• Arctic plants will face extinction
• Greater risk of forest fires
• Coastal ports flooded
• More pests and diseases will exist due to mild winters

Question 21

Individually and locally management strategies for climate change

Answer 21

1. Reduce, reuse, recycle
   Local recycling centres for paints, household electrics, batteries, textiles and some landfill
   Door stop collections

Question 22

National management strategies to reduce greenhouse gases

Answer 22

Insulating homes, flooring lofts or switching lights off in homes
Amount of energy used by household is decreasing
Target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42%
2014 gas emissions 45.8% lower than 1990
Hydrogen buses

Question 23

International management strategies to reduce greenhouse gases

Answer 23

1992 - Rio Earth Summit, 162 countries resolved to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations
2015 - Paris Summit, deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temps to less than 2 degrees, first to commit all countries to cut carbon emissions, review every 5 years, £65bn a year to help poorer countries

Question 24

How can governments try and reduce their emissions

Answer 24

• Wind power
• Wave power
• Tidal power
• Nuclear power