Climate Change Flashcards
(23 cards)
1
Q
Weather
A
- state of the atmosphere at a place and time as regards heat, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.
- Atmospheric conditions (temp, precipitation, wind, humidity) in a particular location over a short period of time
- meteorologist gather info around the world (weather stations, weather balloons, satellites).
2
Q
Climate
A
- it is the usual pattern of weather in a region over a long period of time
- climatologists collect weather data over 30+ years so that they can average the results.
- using climate data you can get “expected” weather (predict the weather)
3
Q
Altitude
A
How high an something is in comparison to sea level or ground level
4
Q
Latitude
A
Place North or south of the equator
5
Q
Temperature
A
Measurement of heat
- Of an object
- Of a living thing
- Of a liquid
- Of a gas
6
Q
Thermal expansion of water
A
when water expands when heated
- Pushing itself up
- Sea levels rising
7
Q
Greenhouse Gases
A
- The most important ones are CO2 and H2O(g) (H2O- clouds form and fall constantly (water cycle).
- Co2 can stay in atmosphere for 100 years (reservoir)
- Trap warm air from rising out of earth’s atmosphere
- absorbs infrared radiation
- Examples: carbon, Methane, Nitrous Oxide
8
Q
Fossil Fuels
A
- Examples: Natural Gas, Coal, Crude Oil
- Made from dead geological remains of living organisms.
- Burned to produce energy (heat, electricity)
9
Q
Ozone
A
- colourless
- toxic gas
- Protects us from Ultraviolet light
- In the Stratosphere
- It is a gas
- It is O3 (3 oxygen molecules stuck together)
- It has a sharp, strong odour (like chlorine)
- It is highly reactive (strong oxidizer)
- It is corrosive (a main component of smog)
10
Q
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC)
A
- any of a class of compounds of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and fluorine
- They are harmful to the ozone layer
11
Q
Carbon “sink”
A
- Also referred to as Carbon stores or reservoirs
- There can be short term and long term carbon sinks
- Long-term: Geosphere, atmosphere, Bigger - plants/animals;ex.=tree, Area with less or no organisms; ex.= Iceberg that stores carbon in its frozen million-year-old waters
- Short term: Surface of earth, biosphere, Smaller plants/ animals; ex.= mayfly, Aria with more organisms; ex.= lake with lots of fish
12
Q
Carbon “footprint”
A
Referring to a person’s/peoples/things release of carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds into the atmosphere through the use of fossil fuels
13
Q
Greenhouse gas effect
A
- It is an energy trapping process. (the suns heat is absorbed by greenhouse gases and trapped in the earth’s atmosphere, other goes back into space.
- It is a natural process (A natural way of keeping Earth warm)
- Too much makes it too hot
- Too little makes it too cold (ice age)
14
Q
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
A
- It is a Greenhouse gas
- Plants use it for Photosynthesis
- Is involved with Climate change, and greenhouse effect (exhaust from Human sources: burning of fossil fuel, land use)
- Makes up 0.0385% (400 ppm (parts per million)) of the atmosphere but cause up to a quarter o9 natural greenhouse effect
- Natural carbon sources: volcanic eruptions, burning of organic matter and cellular respiration (O2 + Sugar -> Co2 + energy [plants opposite]).
15
Q
Methane (CH4)
A
- a colourless, odourless flammable gas
- Is a Greenhouse gas
- Is a component of natural gas.
- Is involved with Climate change, and greenhouse effect (fossil fuel exhaust)
- 1 molecule of methane can absorb way more thermal energy than CO2.
- Methane is about 23x more powerful as GHG that CO2
- Comes from both natural (animal digestion & decomposition) and human sources (mining, landfills)
16
Q
Nitrous Oxide (NO2)
A
- A colourless gas with a sweetish odour
- Is a Greenhouse gas
- Is involved with Climate change, and greenhouse effect (fossil fuel exhaust)
- Is more than 300x more effective than CO2!
- Is a byproduct of combustion reactions.
- Is found naturally in soil (produced by bacterias) and in manure
17
Q
Effects of Climate change
A
- Sea Levels rising (floods)
- Icecaps (Arctic and Antarctic) are melting
- Thermal expansion of water - More forest fires (Dry)
- Harsher/extreme weather
- Rising temperatures
18
Q
Proxy Record
A
- Data from before 1958 is gained through Proxy record
- Is an indirect measurement (wasn’t made to be a measurement)
- Ice, Renaissance paintings of known locations and Tree rings are forms of Proxy records
19
Q
Feedback Loop
A
- Positive: A form of a cycle that keeps adding to itself
- Negative: A form of a cycle that keeps taking away from itself
20
Q
Mountain Pine Beetle
A
- Its lifestyle is a positive Feedback Loop
https: //docs.google.com/drawings/d/10f0SyoGdsWfDwJPjVMGbeqLkT3pLo1qg3oYkyLriGD8/edit
21
Q
Ice core
A
- Composition of matter trapped in the ice
- A piece of ice drilled out of an Icecap
- The composition (layout, design, pattern) of trapped air bubbles
- We can determine data about the climate during a particular year form the clues left in that year’s ice
- we can measure the composition of the atmosphere from air bubbles trapped in the ice (CO2, O2 N2 etc)
- we can even measure temperature - ice formed at different temperatures has different qualities
- Ice has an albedo (it reflects a lot of heat radiation hack into space); this is part of the reason we still have the ice as a proxy record. If the ice wasn’t an albedo is would melt faster and the water around it would absorb the heat that isn’t reflected back into space and the water would melt other ice.
22
Q
Anthropogenic
A
Cased by humans (in this case: chiefly of environmental pollution and pollutants)
23
Q
Overall point
A
Life is part of the carbon cycle and we are destroying it by wrecking the CO2 reservoirs
