STS: Climate change and Environmental awareness Flashcards
(32 cards)
refers to the long term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns
climate change
the range of global phenomena caused by burning fossil fuels that add heat trapping gases to the Earth’s atmosphere
climate change
remains of dead plants and animals
fossil
material burnt to produce heat
fuel
fuel obtained from dead plants and animals
fossil fuel
refers to the earth upward trend of temperature since the 20th century
global warming
generally defined as the general warming effect caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
global warming
Term that describes how natural gases in the earths temperature reduce the amount of heat escaping from the earth into the atmosphere
the green house effect
the more of these gases there are the more the earth heats up
the green house effect
greenhouses gases include gases such as
Naturally occuring gases
- CO2,
- CH4
- NO
Man-made gases
1. CFCs
2. HFCs
3. PFCs
4. SF6
Keeps the planet warm and prevents warm air from leaving the planet. Increase in concentration of greenhouse
gases causes adverse global warming.
Global warming
CO, is released into the air when forests are destroyed increasing the levels oflong-wave radiation and trapped heat. Damage inthe rainforests results to destruction of wildlife
habitats affecting biodiversity.
Deforestation
melting ice caps in the polar region of the earth causes what?
causes dilution of salt which can result in extreme changes in temperature
effects of climate change
- changing wildlife adaptations and cycle
- disease have spread
3.
is a reversal of the
normal behavior of temperature in the
troposphere in which a layer of cool air at the surface is overlain by a layer of warmer
air.
thermal inversion
Cooler air gets trapped within a layer of
warmer air,and the moisture condenses, and formsclouds called smog.
thermal inversion
It is the major
component of photochemical smog.
- The PAN or peroxyacety nitrate
which are caused mainly by
pollutants from cars and industries result to chemical
reactions involving sunlight, nitrogen oxides, and
hydrocarbons.
SMOG
is the transporter of NOx into rural regions
causing ozone formation in the troposphere which decreases visibility especially in elevated places.
PAN
What are the causes of thermal inversion
- pollutants from sources
- weather conditions
- topgraphy or man-made barriers
- freezing rain or ice storms
also known as the ‘warm phase’, it is a normal climate pattern that describes the unusual
warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
el nino
the ‘cool phase’ which is a pattern that describes the unusual
cooling of the surface waters of the region
la nina
are phenomena that are supposed to occur perennial and
globally; abnormalities ni their occurrence cause widespread and severe changes in the climate
el nino and la nina
causes drastic increase ni rainfall in Ecuador and Northern Peru contributing to coastal flooding and erosion and destroying properties.
la niña
