Climate Change Unit 4

Question 1

Define: weather

Answer 1

The day to day changes in temperature and precipitation and how that will affect people in the near future

Question 2

Define: climate

Answer 2

The average amounts of precipitation and the average temperature of a region for that time of year

Question 3

Define: global warming

Answer 3

A rise in average annual temperature of the Earth caused by human activity and natural events

Question 4

Define: desertification

Answer 4

When areas get less rain and cause grass lands to turn into deserts

Question 5

Define: anthropogenic greenhouse effect

Answer 5

Enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect due to gas emissions caused by human activity

Question 6

Define: carbon source

Answer 6

A process that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere ex. Burning fossil fuels

Question 7

Define: carbon sink

Answer 7

Process that takes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it ex. Photosynthesis

Question 8

Define: natural greenhouse effect

Answer 8

The fact that the earth acts like a greenhouse to keep heat in the atmosphere to sustain life

Question 9

Define: conduction

Answer 9

Transfer of thermal energy through direct contact between the particles of a substance without moving the particles to a new location

Question 10

Define: convection

Answer 10

Transfer of thermal energy through the movement of particles from one location to another

Question 11

Define: radiation

Answer 11

Emission of energy as waves

Question 12

Define: coriolis effect

Answer 12

The idea that the direction of the wind coming down from the poles is influenced by the rotation of the Earth Earth so in the northern hemisphere it cause the wind to go to the right

Question 13

Define: heat waves

Answer 13

A prolonged period of excessively hot weather which may result in crop failures and deaths (from hyperthermia or stroke)

Question 14

Define: drought

Answer 14

A prolonged period of time without precipitation (areas near deserts are especially vulnerable to droughts)

Question 15

Define: wild fires

Answer 15

Heat waves and droughts contribute to wildfires

Question 16

Define: positive feedback loop

Answer 16

When the consequences of global warming accelerate global warming faster. Ex. When a carbon source (wildfire) removes a carbon sink (trees and plants) so there are less carbon sinks to get rid of it

Question 17

Define: melt water flooding

Answer 17

Rapid melting in the spring of excess winter precipitation and results in floods

Question 18

What are the 5 main types of greenhouse gas?

Answer 18

Carbon dioxide 
Carbon monoxide  
Methane 
Nitrogen oxide/Sulphur oxide 
Water vapour

Question 19

What is carbon dioxide?

Answer 19

It is naturally from living organisms, volcanoes and decaying organisms but are also put into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels

Question 20

What is carbon monoxide?

Answer 20

It has no natural source but is man made from burning fossil fuels for industry and transportation

Question 21

What is methane?

Answer 21

It is naturally found from decomposing bacteria and swamps but I’d also man made by decomposing waste in landfill sites

Question 22

What is nitrogen oxide and Sulphur oxide?

Answer 22

It is naturally found from bacteria in oceans and swamps but is also added by burning g fossil fuels

Question 23

What is water vapour?

Answer 23

It is snturally foud as evaporation from oceans, lakes and a rivers and has no man made source

Question 24

What are the main human activities that add to the effects of climate change?

Answer 24

1. Burning fossil fuels for energy for transportation, factories and powering our homes
2. Burning forested areas to use for farm land or construction of buildings
3. Making lots of waste for landfills

Question 25

How does global warming,ingredients interrupt the earth’s cycle?

Answer 25

• it starts to happen when carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere faster than it can be taken away or used
• as greenhouse gas es build up the layer surrounding the earth gets Thicker and traps more heat in

Question 26

What are some effects of global warming?

Answer 26

1. Melting polar ice caps ( raises sea levels)
2. Weather extremes ( more hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.)
3. Desertion
4. Loss of habitat (causes more endangered species)

Question 27

What is albedo?

Answer 27

The refraction of solar energy reflected from the earth back into space

Question 28

What are 3 surfaces with a high albedo?

Answer 28

1.ice
2.snow
3.