Assignment 1

Question 1

What is ‘climate’?

Answer 1

The average weather

Question 2

What is the international standard for the averaging period of climate?

Answer 2

30 years

Question 3

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Answer 3

Weather deals with the state of the atmosphere at a particular time. Climate deals with the average state of the atmosphere over some extended time period. It is a statistical measure and normally does not vary much.

Question 4

What are the two most common measurements used to describe the climate and its geographic variation?

Answer 4

Temperature and precipitation

Question 5

What is the Koeppen Climate map?

Answer 5

It depicts regions with similar climates.

Question 6

What does it take to measure the climate?

Answer 6

Taking hourly or daily weather observations for many decades (at least 3) at many stations evenly distributed around the world.

Question 7

What is a Stevenson screen?

Answer 7

A weather box that measures temperature, humidity, pressure and wind.

Question 8

To what height do weather balloons profile?

Answer 8

The lowest 30km of the atmosphere twice a day around the world.

Question 9

What are four different observations showing that climate change is happening right now?

Answer 9

Global annual mean surface air temperature

Global mean sea level

Arctic summer sea ice extent

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and ocean acidification

Question 10

2015 was the warmest year ever recorded since what year?

Answer 10

1880

Question 11

How much has the global average surface air temperature warmed in the last 100 years?

Answer 11

The global average surface air temperature has warmed about 1.0’C in the last 100 years

Question 12

Effects of warming oceans and melting continental ice and snow lead to what?

Answer 12

Sea level change

Question 13

Which month has the minimum arctic sea ice extent?

Answer 13

September

Question 14

The late summer Arctic will be ice free in how many years?

Answer 14

50

Question 15

as the amount of dissolved CO2 in the ocean increases, the ocean acidity…

Answer 15

increases.

Question 16

Oceans make up 71% of the earth’s surface and are huge reservoirs of …

Answer 16

heat that impacts climate

Question 17

Why doesn’t air fall down?

Answer 17

The decreasing air pressure with height creates an upward pressure force that balances the downward force of gravity.

Question 18

Clouds, precipitation and weather occur in which atmospheric layer?

Answer 18

the troposphere

Question 19

What are the constant gases in the earth’s atmosphere?

Answer 19

Nitrogen (N2)
Oxygen (O2)
Argon(ar)
Neon
Helium
Hydrogen

Question 20

What are the variable gases in the earth’s atmosphere?

Answer 20

Water Vapour
Carbon Dioxide
Methane
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
Carbon Monoxide (Co2)
Ozone (o3)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Question 21

What is the composition of dry air?

Answer 21

From greatest to least:
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Argon
Carbon Dioxide
Neon
...

Question 22

Why do we determine residence time?

Answer 22

To tell us how long a typical gas molecule resides in the atmosphere, or how long it takes an excess amount of that gas to be removed.

Question 23

Why is the concept of residence time important?

Answer 23

When estimating future climate change, we need to know how long it will take the extra anthropogenic carbon dioxide to be removed naturally from the atmosphere.

Question 24

What is the calculation for residence time?

Answer 24

Reservoir size/outflow rate

Question 25

Which atmospheric gas has the longest residence time?

Answer 25

Nitrogen

Question 26

Why is actual residence time of Carbon Dioxide different than the expected one?

Answer 26

Rapid photosynthesis

Question 27

What are the main greenhouse gases?

Answer 27

``` Water Vapour Carbon Dioxide Methane Nitrous Oxide Ozone Chlorofluorocarbons ```

Question 28

Nitrogen sinks?

Answer 28

Nitrogen fixation: converts nitrogen gas into forms that organisms can use. Caused by bacterial action and lightning. Important for fertilizer production, but it creates nitrous oxide which is potent greenhouse as.

Question 29

Nitrogen sources?

Answer 29

Denitrification: Bacteria converts fixed nitrogen into N2 or Nitrous Oxide. N2O is eventually converted into N2 by photodisassociation but it takes over a hundred years on average.

Question 30

Oxygen sources?

Answer 30

Photosynthesis (plant growth): Uses sunlight to produce carbohydrates and oxygen

Question 31

Oxygen sinks?

Answer 31

Respiration (reverses photosynthesis) carbohydrates and oxygen produce energy, CO2 and H2O. In the absence of oxygen anaerobic decomposition is performed. Combustion; oxygen reacts with materials that are burning. Oxidation: Oxygen reacts with certain minerals in the earth's crust.

Question 32

Carbon Dioxide sources?

Answer 32

Respiration Decomposition (of organic material) Combustion (biomass and fossil fuel burning) Volcanism (outgassing of Earth's interior)

Question 33

Carbon Dioxide Sinks?

Answer 33

Land photosynthesis (Land sink due to plant growth) Ocean physical and biological transfers (ocean sink) Burial of organic carbon in the sea floor Weathering of rocks (geological time scales)

Question 34

Water Vapour source and sinks?

Answer 34

Source: evaporation from the surface. Sink: condensation and precipitation back to surface.

Question 35

Is water vapour a greenhouse gas?

Answer 35

It is a strong greenhouse gas. Enhances warming compared to increasing carbon dioxide along. (positive feedback for global warming)

Question 36

What is the earth's 'albedo'?

Answer 36

The amount of solar energy reflected back to space.

Question 37

Greenhouse gases are composed of how many atoms?

Answer 37

More than 2

Question 38

What happens when the vibrational frequency of a molecule matches the infrared radiation wave frequency?

Answer 38

the molecule is able to absorb and emit the infrared radiation. This makes it a greenhouse gas.

Question 39

The six main greenhouse gases are?

Answer 39

``` Carbon Dioxide Co2 Methane CH4 Nitrous Oxide n2o Water H2O Ozone O3 Chloroflurocarbons ```

Question 40

Does ideal combustion ever happen?

Answer 40

No

Question 41

Where is most of the earth's water?

Answer 41

The oceans

Question 42

What's the average ocean depth?

Answer 42

3.7km

Question 43

Why are the oceans key in determining climate and climate change?

Answer 43

Because of their ability to store and transport huge amounts of energy.

Question 44

What is the thermocline layer of the ocean?

Answer 44

Where the ocean temperature decreases rapidly with depth.

Question 45

Why is the deep ocean cold?

Answer 45

Because of the source is the polar sea surface.

Question 46

Where is the salinity in the ocean highest?

Answer 46

Where the evaporation of ocaen water to the atmosphere is the highest.

Question 47

Where is the salinity lowest in the ocean?

Answer 47

Where the precipitation is greatest (more fresh water being addeD)

Question 48

How do we determine the sea surface density?

Answer 48

With temperature and salinity