Lesson1

Question 1

How much have average global temperatures incresaed since 1880?

Answer 1

2.2°F (1.4°C)
The average temp is 15°C

Question 2

Where has it been worst?

Answer 2

The Arctic.
It has increased 4°C (7.2°F)

Question 3

What has human activity since 1850 triggered?

Answer 3

a Greenhouse effect

Question 4

What normally happens when the Sun warms the Earth?

Answer 4

Infrared Radiation is emitted, mostly back out into Space.

Question 5

What are the major Greenhouse Gases?

Answer 5

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous Oxide (N20)
(smaller: F Gases)

Question 6

What do the Greenhouse gases do?

Answer 6

They absorb some of the radiation.

Question 7

What does this absorbtion do?

Answer 7

It raises the temperature of the planet.

Question 8

What is the weight of Greenhouse Gases currently emitted by humans each year?

Answer 8

51 billion tons

Question 9

What is the limit of how much more temperature increase to avoid the severest effects of climate change?

Answer 9

1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius

Question 10

What must we do to avoid the catastrophic effects?

Answer 10

Reduce emmission of Greenhouse Gases to net zero in a few decades (2050).

Question 11

[What percentage of the Earth’s population live north of the Equator?]

Answer 11

90%

Question 12

Can Greenhouse Gases occur naturally?

Answer 12

To some extent.
Before 1750, however, it was in equilibrium.

Question 13

Which is the most prevalent Greenhouse Gas?

Answer 13

CO2

Question 14

How is CO2 created?

Answer 14

Burning of fossil fuels.
Deforestation.

Question 15

How is methane (CH4) created?

Answer 15

Livestock.
Fossil fuel production.
Breakdown of waste in landfills.

Question 16

How is Nitrous Oxide (N2O) created?

Answer 16

Waste from animal agriculture.
Nitrogen fertilzers to increase
crop yields.

Question 17

What are F-Gases?

Answer 17

Like HydroFluorocarbons (HFCs)
found in refrigerants.

Question 18

Which of the Greenhouse Gases have a higher warming potential?

Answer 18

Methane
Nitrous Oxide
F-Gases

Question 19

What is another important
characteristic of
these gases?

Answer 19

How long they stay in the
atmosphere.

Question 20

How long do each of the gases
stay in the atmosphere?

Answer 20

Methane - 12 years
N2O - 121 years

Question 21

How are these differences accounted for?

Answer 21

In CO2 equivalents.(CO2e)

Question 22

How is this done?

Answer 22

They are measured by their 100-year warming potential compared to CO2.

Question 23

Using this measure, what is the 100-year impact of a ton of methane?

Answer 23

Methane: 28X CO2.

Question 24

What is the 100-year impact of a ton of nitrous oxide?

Answer 24

N2O: 265x CO2.

Question 25

**What is the 100-year impact of a ton of F-gases (HFCs)?**

Answer 25

**HFCs: 138x CO2**

Question 26

Given the quantity and staying power, how much do each account for?

Answer 26

**CO2 - 75% (38B) Methane - 17% N2O - 6% HFCs - 2%**

Question 27

What is the IPCC? https://www.ipcc.ch/

Answer 27

**Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change**

Question 28

Who does the IPCC serve?

Answer 28

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Question 29

What is their latest report?

Answer 29

The 6th Assessment Report https://www.ipcc.ch/ar6-syr/

Question 30

What is their most fundamental finding?

Answer 30

Humans are influencing Climate Change.

Question 31

Where is most of the heat increase being retained?

Answer 31

**the Oceans**

Question 32

What percentage of heat stored on the planet is in the oceans?

Answer 32

**90%**

Question 33

What do warming oceans do?

Answer 33

Warm the atmosphere. Increase the sea level: thermosteric expansion

Question 34

How much of current sea level increase is due to thermosteric expansion?

Answer 34

**about half**

Question 35

What percentage of glaciers are in retreat?

Answer 35

**95%**

Question 36

How detailed have forecasts of Climate Change become?

Answer 36

**Within 50 miles.**

Question 37

What else are the models getting better at?

Answer 37

Looking at the connection between weather events and Climate Change

Question 38

What time of day is warming faster than the other?

Answer 38

**Nights**

Question 39

What is the TropoPause?

Answer 39

**The place between the Troposphere (where we live) and the Stratosphere.**

Question 40

What has happened to the Tropopause?

Answer 40

**Its height has increased.**

Question 41

What has happened to the Stratosphere?

Answer 41

**It cooled because of ozone depletion (caused by CFCs) but has stopped.**

Question 42

Do clouds reflect heat back out into space?

Answer 42

**Not really. Wrong color. Wrong altitude.**

Question 43

What is a tipping point?

Answer 43

A place in a natural cycle where there is so much change, you can't go back.

Question 44

What is the **Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)?**

Answer 44

**A large system of ocean currents carrying water from the Tropics north.**

Question 45

What does AMOC include?

Answer 45

**The Gulf Stream moves heat north. This is why Europe has mild weather.**

Question 46

What has happened to the Gulf Stream?

Answer 46

**It has slowed making Europe colder.**

Question 47

What tipping point could there be with the thawing Permafrost?

Answer 47

**It contains much organic matter which could rot and turn into methane.**

Question 48

What are **Methane Cathrates?**

Answer 48

**Methane trapped in water crystals on the ocean floor.**

Question 49

What tipping point could we have with Methane Cathrates?

Answer 49

**They can explode (one did in Siberia) releasing much Methane.**

Question 50

What are the 2 primary conclusions of the UN report?

Answer 50

1. Climate Change is happening now 2. The primary driver is the burning of fossil fuels.(Oil, coal, natural gas)

Question 51

What are oil, coal and gas?

Answer 51

**Stored carbon from millions of years is released over just 200 years.**