climate change- physical and human causes

Question 1

8 human causes

Answer 1

the increased production of fertilisers also adds to the amount of Nitrous Oxide in the atmosphere. nitrous oxide is 200-300 times more effective in trapping heat than Carbon Dioxide

refrigerators which are not disposed of correctly release CFCs when the foam insulation inside them is shredded

the increasing demand for beef has resulted in more methane being created by belching cattle and from animal dung

increased car ownership has resulted in more petrol and diesel being used to fuel cars
increased car exhaust emissions have resulted in more Nitrous Oxide

coal has been used increasingly to power factories/generate electricity in power stations to heat homes

burning fossil fuels, e.g. coal, oil and natural gas release Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere

deforestation has resulted in less carbon dioxide being absorbed and the burning rapidly releases more C02

Question 2

7 physical causes

Answer 2

global temperatures can be raised by peaks of sunspot activity, which follow an 11-year pattern

Milankovitch’s theory: changes in the earth’s orbit/tilt alter the amount of energy reaching the The earth may reflect the sun’s rays lowering temperature

after volcanic eruptions, large amounts of dust and droplets of sulphur

every 41,000 years, there is a change in the tilt of the Earth’s axis. A greater tilt means more sunlight in polar regions

over a 97,000-year cycle, the Earth’s orbit stretches

Methane being released from melting permafrost

retreating ice caps release additional fresh water leading to changes in oceanic circulation. This also reduces the albedo effect as reflection has decreased as more land is exposed