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Biology B3 > Green house gases and Climate Change > Flashcards

Green house gases and Climate Change Flashcards

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1
Q

How many people are there in the world?

What is happening to the population?

A

Over six billion

It’s rising exponentially

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2
Q

What are some reasons for the population rising? (2)

What does this mean for the planet?

A

Modern medicine and farming methods have reduced the number of people dying from disease and hunger
We have have a bigger effect on the environment

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3
Q

What is the difference between the demands on the environment when there were few people, to now?
Small:
Large:

A

Small: impacts were small and local
Large: Impacts are global, widespread

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4
Q

Why does our increasing population put pressure on the environment? (3)

A

Because we take all the resources we need from it.
People around the world demand a higher standard of living - more raw materials and energy is used for this manufacturing process, more and more quickly
We are using the materials faster than they are being replaced, so we will run out.

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5
Q

As we produce more we are producing more what?
Unless this is properly handled what will be caused?
Affecting what?

A

Waste
More harmful pollution
Water land and the air

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6
Q

How is water polluted by waste?

What pollutes… what does this affect… and what else can be washed into rivers?

A

Sewage and toxic chemicals from industry can pollute lakes, rivers and oceans affecting the plants and animals that rely on them for survival (including humans). And the chemicals used on land (fertilisers) can be washed into water.

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7
Q

How is the land polluted by waste? (3)

A

Toxic chemicals used for farming (pesticides and herbicides)
Burying of nuclear waste underground
Dumping of household waste in landfill sites

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8
Q

How is air polluted by humans?

A

Smoke and gases are released into the atmosphere e.g sulphur dioxide causing acid rain

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9
Q

What causes acid rain?

A

Sulphur dioxide

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10
Q

More people means less….

A

Land for plants and other animals

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11
Q

What do humans reduce?

Using what four ways?

A 
The amount of land and resources available to other animals and plants
Building
Farming
Dumping waste 
Quarrying for metal ores
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12
Q

What is carbon present as in the atmosphere?
How does it get into the atmosphere? (simple)
What does too much CO2 in the atmosphere cause?

A

CO2
Many processes lead to it being released, burning fossil fuels
Causes global warming

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13
Q

How is CO2 locked up by the natural environment?
Give examples:
1.
2. .. they … from the… during
3.
Storing CO2 in these ways is …. because it means …. is removed from the ….

A

Sequestered in natural stores
1. In oceans, lakes and ponds
2. Green plants, stored as carbon compounds. They remove CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis
3.Peat bogs
…really important… CO2…. atmosphere

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14
Q

Why do we need the green house effect?

A

It makes earth a suitable temperature for living on

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15
Q

What gases trap heat from the sun?

A

CO2 and Methane

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16
Q

What is the temperature of the earth a balance between?

A

Heat it gets from the sun and heat it radiates back out to space

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17
Q

What do gases in the atmosphere naturally act as? Why?

A

An insulating layer, as they absorb most of the heat that would normally be radiated into space and re-radiate it in all directions (back towards the earth)

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18
Q

If the GHG effect didn’t happen then what would happen? But what is our problem?

A

There would be nothing to keep any heat in and the planet would quickly get very cold
The GHG are increasing so the planet is gettign too hot

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19
Q

Which gases in the atmosphere keep the heat in, what are there names and what are they called all together?
Why do we need to worry about these?

Study These Flashcards
A

CO2 and methane, greenhouse gases, these are the main ones whose levels we need to worry about because their levels are rising quite sharply

20
Q

Why is the earth heating up? What is this called?

What is it?

Study These Flashcards
A

The increasing levels of GHG - this is global warming

A type of climate change that causes other types of climate change, changing rainfall patterns

21
Q

What locks up CO2 that are at risk of being destroyed and releasing it?

Study These Flashcards
A

Trees and peat bogs

22
Q

What does deforestation mean?

Study These Flashcards
A

cutting down of forests

23
Q

Why does deforestation cause? - such as what?

Study These Flashcards
A

Big problems on a large scale, cutting down rainforests

24
Q

Why does deforestation happen? (3)

Study These Flashcards
A

To provide timber to use as building materials
To clear more land for farming to - provide more food from rice fields or cattle - or to grow crops from which ethanol for biofuel can be produced
To produce paper from wood

25
What is a problem caused by deforestation? (methane?) | 3
More methane gets into the atmosphere Rice is grown in warm, waterlogged conditions ideal for decomposers. These organisms produce methane so more is released into the atmosphere Cattle produce methane by digestion so rearing cattle means more is released
26
What is a problem caused by deforestation? (+ CO2?) | 3
More CO2 in the atmosphere CO2 is released when trees are burnt to clear land (Carbon in wood doesn't contribute to atmospheric pollution until it is burnt) Microorganisms feeding on bits of dead wood release CO2 as a waste product of respiration
27
What is a problem caused by deforestation? (- CO2?) | 3
Less CO2 is taken in | Cutting down trees means that less CO2 is removed from the atmosphere during PS
28
More .... in the ... leads to .... causing ...
CO2, atmosphere, global warming, climate change
29
What is a problem caused by deforestation? (bio?) | 3
Less biodiversity Habitats like tropical rain forests can contain a huge number of species, so when they are destroyed there is a danger of many species becoming extinct, bio-d is reduced. Causing a number of lost opportunities - organisms that produce useful products will never be found as they will become extinct. - Newly discovered animals and plants are a great source of new foods, and clothing
30
What is biodiversity?
The variety of different species in a habitat, the more the greater bio-d.
31
What does destroying Peat bogs do?
Releases more CO into the atmosphere
32
What are peat bogs? What happens here? What does this form? So what is stored here?
Areas of land that are acidic and waterlogged. Plants that live here don't fully decay when they die because there's not enough oxygen. The partially rotten plants build up to form peat. Carbon in the plants is instead of being released into the atmosphere.
33
What sometimes happens to the peat bogs? (3)
Drained to be used as farmland Peat is cut up and dried to use as fuel Peat is sold to gardeners as compost
34
What happens to the peat when the bogs are drained?
It starts to decompose so CO2 is released.
35
What will happen if we continue to destroy peat bogs?
More CO2 will be released adding to the greenhouse effect
36
How can people help and protect the peat bogs?
Buy peat-free compost to reduce the demand for peat, use manure, leaf mould or bark chippings instead
37
What is one serious consequence of Global Warming to do with the sea? It will... Causing ...
As the sea gets warmer it expands, causing sea levels to rise Sea level has risen a little over the past 100 years but if it keeps rising, people living in low lying areas like the Netherlands, East Anglia and the Maldives, will be flooded
38
What is one serious consequence of Global Warming to do with higher temperatures? They will... Causing ...
Make ice melt | Water currently trapped on land as ice will melt into the sea causing it to rise even more
39
``` What is one serious consequence of Global Warming to do with the weather? It has... It is thought that... Hurricanes ... However... ```
..Changed weather patterns in many parts of the world ..Many regions will suffer extreme weather because of this, e.g hotter and longer droughts .... form over water hotter than 27c so with warmer water there will be more hurricanes ...the climate is a very complicated system meaning it's hard to predict what will happen, lots of people are researching it and it's not looking good
40
What is one serious consequence of Global Warming to do with organisms? It will... Some species will... But other species will...
Cause the distribution of many wild plants and animals to change. Some species may become more widely distributed, e.g species needing warmer temperatures may spread further as the conditions they thrive in exist over a wider area Others may become less widely distributed, e.g the cooler temps they need will only exist in a smaller area
41
What is one serious consequence of Global Warming to do with biodiversity? It will... Causing ...
Reduce it if some species are unable to survive a change in climate, so become extinct
42
What is one serious consequence of Global Warming to do with migration patterns? It will... Causing ...
There could be changes | Birds to fly further north as those areas are getting warmer
43
What are the 6 consequences of global warming?
Sea temperatures rise, flooding High temps cause the ice to melt, sea levels rise Change in weather patterns, more extreme weather Change in organism distribution Reduction of biodiversity Changes in migration patterns
44
What do scientists do to show how the climate is changing?
Collect data and evidence
45
How do scientists collect data and evidence to show how the climate is changing? (4)
Satellites are used to monitor snow and ice cover Satellites sued to measure the temperature of the sea surface The temperature and speed of ocean currents are monitored for any changes Automatic weather stations are constantly recording atmospheric temepratures
46
``` How should scientific evidence be weighed before making judgments? Consider the area. What happens if it's small Why is this not useful? You should do what? Now consider time... (similar to above) Do this... To gain these... ```
Generally, observations of a small area aren't useful as they don't accurately represent all similar locations, e.g one glacier melts doesn't mean all are. It is also not a valid way to show that global temp is changing You should look at all the glaciers across Canada and Alaska for example, a large area. Make sure the observations are taken over a long period of time, year after year, to gain valid results.
47
Why are governments taking climate change seriously?
Lots of scientists are getting the same results with different results showing it is happening.

Biology B3 (9 decks)

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