Sci Exam Prep Climate Change Flashcards
(6 cards)
What is climate change? Evidence for climate change.
Climate change is not Global Warming, it is a significant change in weather patterns that lasts for an extended period of time. This means climate change has been going on since before the dinosaurs. The huge issue today is the rate of climate change.
Nasa’s website says - The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is extremely likely (greater than 95 percent probability) to be the result of human activity since the mid-20th century and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented over centuries to millennia.
Nine main factors of this anthropogenic climate change are:
- rise in the average global temp
- decrease in artic sea level
- melting of glaciers
- rising sea levels
- rising humidity
- increase in temp of seas and oceans
- decrease in snow cover
- increase in extreme weather events
- ocean acidification
Rise in the Average Global Temperatures:
There have been seven ice ages in the last 650000 years. The global temp has changed due to variation in the atmospheric composition, changes in the earth’s orbit around the sun and other minor factors.
Carbon dioxide and Greenhouse Gases:
Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases are very important to life on earth. Greenhouse gases are any gases that trap infrared radiation (heat) and then re-emit it. This means the greenhouse gases keep us from freezing to death at night. The greenhouse effect is responsible for moderating the Earths temperature. Historically, when there was a low concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere the earth was cooler - in a ice age. The earth would warm when the carbon dioxide levels increased. However, up until 1950 the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere ranged from 160 to 300. Currently the level of CO2 om the atmosphere is around 400 and increasing. Carbon dioxide is he most infamous green house gas - but there are many other that are also contributing to climate change. Knowing the sources and sinks of the different gasses is important when discussing their environment impact. A source is anything - man made or not that emits the gas. A sink absorbs the gas.
Rising sea levels are a huge concern among scientists, sea levels have risen 200 mmm since 1870. Sea levels have risen for three reasons: 1)melting ice caps 2)melting glaciers 3) increase in ocean temp means the water expands when hot
rising sea levels can cause destructive erosion, wetland flooding, water and agricultural soil contamination, and lost habitat for fish, birds and plants. Sc9entest expect oceans to rise at least 28-98 cm by 21000. The most extreme scientific estimates put the sea level rise at 7 meters.
*sources and sinks for green house gases in notebook
Types of heat transfer - conduction, convection and radiation and how global warming impacts these types of heat transfer. Ex Ice caps melting, more absorption of radiant energy, warms the earth.
There are three main types of heat transfer that can cause the earth to get warmer and this is sometimes a good thing and sometimes a bad thing. These are: 1) conduction 2) convection 3) radiation.
- conduction is when heat is transferred by touching. It can happen when the hot beach warms the water it touches, or the ocean warms an iceberg.
- Convection is when heat is transferred by a mixing liquid. It is responsible for wind and ocean currents. Changes in convection currents around the globe can cause around the globe can cause huge problems like massive storms. Changes in ocean currents can also separate predator and prey and endanger an entire species if they can no longer find food.
- Radiation is when heat and energy is transferred by electromagnetic waves from the sun. This is how the earth gets 100 percent of its energy! Radiation can be absorbed by green house gases, bodies of water and land masses. This becomes a problem when ice melts since ice has a high albedo and reflects most radiation, keeping the land cool. Whereas the rock or water below the ice is much darker and absorbs the heat from the sun quickly once exposed.
Be able to interpret data or a graph and answer questions about it.
Practice interpreting data and graphs:
Example - in notebook about decrease in artic sea ice and melting glaciers.
Positive and negative feedback loops and climate change. Give an example, identify it as a positive or negative feedback loop.
Feedback Loops - earth is a closed system so matter and energy are cycled withing the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere. A feedback loop is a process in which part of a systems output is returned to the input.
Positive Feedback Loop - the output increases the effects of interacting parts. Because of positive feedback loops a small change in a system can lead to a larger one. A positive feedback loop increases the effect of the change. Example - increase in sea level temperatures melts ice/glaciers
Negative Feedback Loops - the output acts to decrease the effects of the input and interacting parts working to maintain the equilibrium of the system. Negative feedback loops act to prevent, slow, or reverse a change which has occurred. Negative feedback loops are not necessarily bad things. Example - the increase in temperature increases the amount of cloud cover. The increased cloud thickness or amount could reduce incoming solar radiation and limit warming.
How does climate change impact the environment and society? Think of your project for examples.
Sea level rise in Portugal will continue to harm both marine life and land animals if something does not change. As sea levels continue to rise, salt water will start to flood the coastal areas of Portugal. This threatens plants like sea lavender and salt marsh species that cannot tolerate saltwater. Without these plants, coastal areas would become more vulnerable to erosion, leading to the loss of land and habitats for other species. Additionally these plants provide food and shelter for various animals causing the population of the animals dependent on these plants to decline. This would occur because sea lavender and salt marsh plants are vital for stabilizing the soil, preventing erosion, and filtering water. Marine life including Portugal’s endangered species like the Mediterranean monk seal and local coral reefs will also be affected due to warmer waters (evolved by greenhouse gasses) and changes in ocean currents (due to sea level rise). This happens because changes in tides can harm the habitat in which species breed, feed and seek shelter. Additionally, tides control the movement of water in and out of wetlands, estuaries, and intertidal zones, areas that are critical for the survival of many marine species. On the other hand, warmer waters harm marine life as it reduces the oxygen in the water, causes coral bleaching, and forces marine species to move to cooler areas, disrupting their natural habitats and migration patterns. On top of that many land animals such as the Iberian lynx and the European rabbit (both endangered species) living on the coast lines of Portugal will lose important habitats that they hunt for prey on if rising waters continue to push inland, as habitats sink the competition for resources like food will increase and many species populations will decline due to the lack of food and space. As animals like the Liberian lynx and European rabbit struggle to find prey this will disrupt the delicate balance of food webs, affecting other plants and animals that depend on these species further endangering Portugal’s rich biodiversity
Portugal’s economy is based on tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and fishing and unfortunately sea level rise will affect all of these industries. Portugal’s coastal regions attract millions of tourists each year, but rising sea levels could lead to coastal erosion, flooding, and the destruction of vital infrastructure like hotels, resorts, and recreational facilities meaning key attractions for tourists will be significantly impacted and possibly uninhabitable, severely declining the country’s appeal as a prime vacation spot leading to long-term economic challenges for local communities in Portugal that rely on tourism for their livelihoods. The agriculture industry will also face similar struggles particularly in coastal areas where fertile farmland will likely face saltwater intrusion. This will result in lots of farmland being damaged by the salt water and therefore not functional for farmers to use to grow crops, raise cattle and more. As for manufacturing, many factories and ports located in the coastal regions may face flooding and coastal erosion which will damage infrastructure and make transporting goods more challenging and time consuming. Likewise, for the fishing industry as rising seas alter marine habitats and disrupt fish populations, key species could disappear or relocate, leaving local fisheries with significantly reduced catches. As sea level continues to rise, fishing infrastructure, such as ports, processing plants, and storage facilities will be damaged as they are located on the coastline making it more costly and challenging for fishermen to operate. Additionally a big portion of Portugal’s population is living on the coastline meaning if we do not do something to address sea level rise many Portuguese families will be forced to relocate off the coastline leaving their homes, lively hoods and culture.
Extra Info
The climate system - earth is a closed system as energy can flow in and out.
Solar energy - energy from the sun flows into earths atmosphere and eventually is passed into space. The solar energy from the sun is emitted as electromagnetic radiation. (electromagnetic radiation is energy that travels out in waves, this includes ultraviolet rays, gamma rays, ect.
Albedo - measures a surface’s ability to reflect by the surface of an object. White reflects most and has a high albedo (ex snow). Black absorbs most EM waves and has a low albedo (ex solar panels)
Thermal Energy - when the electromagnetic radiation from the sun hits particles it travels outward and causes them to move around more. Thermal energy is energy that an object has because of the motion of its molecules. The transfer of energy between objects is called heat. Thermal energy transfer - there are three ways which thermal energy can be transferred convection, conduction, and radiation. 1) radiation is the transfer of thermal energy through the vacuum of space. EM Radiation does not require matter to move through so it can move through space. 2) Conduction is the transfer of thermal energy between two objects in direct contact. Thermal energy always moves from a higher temperature to a lower temperature. 3) convection is the transfer of thermal energy by the molecules in motion with higher energy. Convection only happens in liquids and gases.
