Unit 4: Climate Change

Question 1

Weather

Answer 1

Atmospheric conditions in a particular area over a short period of time

Question 2

Climate

Answer 2

Long-term patterns of weather in a particular area over many years (average)

Question 3

Common factors of weather

Answer 3

Temperature, humidity, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind, cloudiness

Question 4

Day, year, season

Answer 4

Day - one earth rotation (24 hours)
Year - It takes earth 365 1/4 days to orbit the sun
Seasons - The earth is tilted so as it orbits different parts of the planet to receive direct sunlight. The northern hemisphere is tilted for part of the year and away for the other

Question 5

Latitude

Answer 5

How much direct light controls temperature, weather patterns and seasonal changes. Equator = hot and consistent. Poles = weak sunlight and extreme seasons. Mid - Latitudes = moderate sunlight, distinct seasons

Question 6

Prevailing winds

Answer 6

Large-scale wind patterns that consistently blow in the same direction. They determine rainfall. Equator is warm and air rises and flows back to the equator

Question 7

Ocean Currents

Answer 7

Redistributes heat across the planet

Question 8

Biome

Answer 8

A large geographic region characterized by the types of climate, animals and plants in the area (there are terrestrial and aquatic biomes).
- Tropical Rainforest
- Tundra
- Grassland
- Boreal Forest
- Temperate Deciduous Forest
Temperate Rainforest

Question 9

Tropical Rainforest

Answer 9

• Not in Canada (Amazon rainforest)
• Near the equator
• Warm temperatures (25 - 30) and lots of rain (200 - 1000 cm)
• humid, lush and dense vegetation
• hot and wet conditions allow for a lot of plant growth

Question 10

Tundra

Answer 10

• Canada’s north (Iqaluit, Alaska, Siberia)
• cold (-5 to -30)
• Has few plants and vegetation
• Has permafrost
• Long cold winters, low rainfall (25cm) and short summers

Question 11

Grassland

Answer 11

• Canada’s prairies (Calgary)
• Dry and warm climate
• lots of grass
• 25-100 cm of rain
• temperature ranges from -10 to 30
• hot summer, cold winter

Question 12

Boreal Forest

Answer 12

• Most of Canada (Yellowknife)
• long dry winters
• 30 to 85 cm of mostly snow
• temperature ranges from -20 to 20

Question 13

Temperate Deciduous Forest

Answer 13

• Toronto
• Distinct seasons
• Evenly distributed rainfall
• Temperatures ranger from -30 to 30
• 75 to 180cm of rain

Question 14

Temperate Rainforest

Answer 14

• Great Bear Rainforest, BC
• Long wet winters
• Cool temperatures
• High rainfall (more than 200cm)
• Lush vegetation
• Lots of trees

Question 15

Climatograph

Answer 15

Displays the yearly pattern of temperature and precipitation value for a particular location

Question 16

Paleoclimatology

Answer 16

The study of past climates (can help us figure out how humans affect climate)

Question 17

Proxy Data

Answer 17

Preserved physical characteristics of the environment that can stand in for direct measurements. Can be used to reconstruct past climate conditions which helps scientists understand the causes of past climate conditions which helps scientists understand the causes of past climate changes + predict and prepare for the future

Question 18

Tree Rings

Answer 18

As a new growth layer/ring is added, its size is determined by temperature and precipitation. You can look at multiple trees to get an average and look at things built with trees and overlap the data to form a timeline. Better conditions (more moisture and the right temperature) = more growth = thicker rings. Note: rainforest trees don’t have rings because they don’t have distinct seasons

Question 19

Pollen

Answer 19

Pollen is preserved in sediment layers at the bottom of ponds, lakes, rivers etc. The distinctive shape of pollen grains allows scientists to identify the type of plants growing during a specific period of time, at a specific location. This information allows us to infer past climate conditions because different plants need different conditions. However, this only works for specific areas and it may be difficult to tell the time period and which plant

Question 20

Ice Cores

Answer 20

Ice contains preserved physical characteristics. The snow doesn’t melt in polar regions (Greenland and Antarctica), instead it builds up and forms layers, indicating the environmental conditions and the trapped bubbles record atmospheric composition (green house gases), dust, pollen, volcanic activity. Oxygen has a couple isotopes. O-18 is heavier so it doesn’t evaporate as easily but it is more likely to condense and form precipitation. Therefore, when global temperature is high, polar ice contains a greater-than-average fraction of o-18. But when the temperature is lower, there is a greater-than-average fraction of O-16 in the ice.

Question 21

Ocean/Lake sediment

Answer 21

Sediment accumulates at the bottom of water bodies yearly, which can show fossils chemicals (reconstruct atmosphere), dust and pollen (vegetation change)

Question 22

Corals

Answer 22

Corals build up hard skeletons from calcium carbonate. The density of the skeleton changes as temperature and pH

Question 23

Caves

Answer 23

Speleothems (stalactites and stalagmites) have distinct layers that build up over time. Isotopes can be found that indicate temperature and rainfall

Question 24

Historical Data

Answer 24

Diaries, travel logs, newspapers etc. tell us about past climate

Question 25

Greenhouse Effect

Answer 25

1. The sun's light travels by electromagnetic rays (produces all, only some get past the atmosphere). Some energy reflects off the Earth's surface and some is absorbed, warming the planet. 2. Earth radiates heat back out as infrared radiation (heat) They are made of multiple atoms that can vibrate. Therefore, they can (1) absorb the infrared radiation (making other atoms vibrate, making heat) or (2) re-emit the radiation (which can go back to earth or into space) - the green house effect is necessary for life but the problem is that anthropogenic activities have increased greenhouse gases, which is trapping too much heat

Question 26

Albedo

Answer 26

It's a measure of how reflective a surface is. A high albedo means a surface reflects more sunlight (helps to cool the planet), while a low albedo means it absorbs more (heats the planet). Earth warms, ice melts, lower albedo which makes earth warmer and more warming, more melting. Deforestation also replaces reflective trees with darker farmland which can lower albedo. Urbanization has the same effect. More clouds have high albedo, which cools earth but water is a greenhouse gas can trap infrared, warming the earth

Question 27

Greenhouse Gases

Answer 27

Greenhouse gases have 3 or more atoms and are electrically unbalanced which allows them to vibrate - Oxygen and nitrogen gas are the most abundent but don't have these properties - There are also seasonal increases and decreases due to plants The greenhouse gases include: - carbon dioxide - methane - nitrous oxide - water vapour - ozone

Question 28

Carbon Dioxide

Answer 28

Natural sources: - volcanic eruptions - respiration - wildfires Human Sources: - burning fossil fuels - deforestation - cement production Mitigation - renewable energy - energy efficiency - reforestation

Question 29

Methane

Answer 29

Natural sources: - permafrost melting - wetlands - volcanic activity Human Sources: - fossil fuels extraction - landfills - agriculture (cows) - wastewater treatment Mitigation - improve agriculture practice - better waste management

Question 30

Nitrous Oxide

Answer 30

Natural sources: - soil and ocean processes - denitrification -soil to nitrogen Human Sources: - industrial processes - agriculture practices - wastewater treatment Mitigation - improve manure management - enhanced industrial practices - reduce synthetic fertilizer

Question 31

Water Vapor

Answer 31

Natural sources: - Evaporation - Transpiration Human Sources: - industrial cooling systems Mitigation - water conservation - reduce energy consumption

Question 32

Ozone

Answer 32

Human Sources: - vehicle emissions - industrial pollution Mitigation - cleaner energy (less fossil fuels and vehicles)

Question 33

Combustion

Answer 33

Fuel/hydrocarbon + oxygen gas --> carbon dioxide + water Complete Combustion: Fuel + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + energy. Incomplete Combustion: Produces CO, soot, and less energy.

Question 34

How are fossil fuels made?

Answer 34

Plant and animals died millions of years ago. Their remains accumulated in swamps, seas, and ocean floors. There weren't a lot of bacteria and fungi to decompose it so over time, these remains were buried under layers of mud, sand, and rock. The weight of the overlying layers compressed the organic material. This process excluded oxygen, which prevented full decomposition. As more layers built up, heat and pressure increased. This caused chemical and physical changes in the buried material. Over millions of years: Plant matter turned into coal. Marine plankton and algae turned into oil and natural gas.

Question 35

Carbon Cycle

Answer 35

Carbon exists in the atmosphere mainly as carbon dioxide (CO₂). It's added to the air by: Respiration (breathing by animals and humans) Combustion (burning fossil fuels or wood) Volcanic eruptions Decay of organisms 2. Photosynthesis (Plants Take In CO₂) Plants absorb CO₂ from the air during photosynthesis. They use it to make food (glucose), and in doing so, they store carbon in their bodies. 3. Animals Eat Plants When animals eat plants, carbon is transferred to their bodies. Animals then release CO₂ back into the air when they breathe (respiration). 4. Decomposition When plants and animals die, decomposers (like bacteria and fungi) break down their bodies. This process releases carbon back into the soil and atmosphere. 5. Fossil Fuels (Long-Term Storage) Some carbon is buried for millions of years and turns into coal, oil, or natural gas. When humans burn these fossil fuels, stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere as CO₂. 6. Carbon in the Oceans The oceans absorb CO₂ from the air. Some carbon is used by marine life to build shells and skeletons (calcium carbonate). When these organisms die, their remains can form limestone, trapping carbon in rocks.

Question 36

Positive Feedback Loop

Answer 36

Initial change causes effects to amplify over time, making it stronger. Examples: permafrost melting (temperatures rise, permafrost melts, the permafrost releases methane, greenhouse gases cause more warming, more permafrost melts, more gas, more warming), water vapour (air warms, more water evaporates, water vapour traps more heat, more heat- more evaporation, more water vapour, more heat)

Question 37

Negative Feedback loop

Answer 37

Negative feedback loop reduces change. Example: CO2 and plants - CO2 rises, plants grow faster, removes CO2, less warming

Question 38

Radiative forcing

Answer 38

Change in balance at the top of the atmosphere due to a factor that affects climate (AKA is it warming or cooling?) Positive = warming Negative = cooling

Question 39

Climate Mitigation Across Sectors

Answer 39

Energy Sector - Shift to renewable energy (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal). - Improve energy efficiency in buildings, power plants, and appliances. -Carbon capture and storage (CCS) to trap CO₂ at power plants. - Smart grids to distribute electricity more efficiently. 2. Transportation - Use of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids. - Increase public transit and active transport (biking, walking). - Develop biofuels and cleaner aviation fuels. - Improve fuel efficiency standards. 3. Agriculture - Improve manure management and livestock feed to reduce methane. - Reduce fertilizer use and use precision farming. - Promote regenerative agriculture (soil carbon storage). - Protect and restore wetlands and forests on farmland. 4. Buildings - Retrofit buildings for energy efficiency (insulation, windows). - Use green building standards (LEED-certified). - Install solar panels and heat pumps. - Reduce urban heat islands by planting trees and using reflective materials. 5. Industry - Improve industrial efficiency and processes. - Switch to low-carbon fuels. - Reuse and recycle materials (circular economy). - Adopt cleaner production technologies. 6. Land Use & Forestry - Prevent deforestation. - Promote reforestation and afforestation. - Support sustainable forestry practices. - Restore mangroves, grasslands, and wetlands. 7. Government & Policy - Implement carbon pricing (carbon tax or cap-and-trade). - Set emission reduction targets and climate laws. - Provide subsidies for clean technology. - Support international climate agreements (like the Paris Agreement). 8. Individuals & Communities - Reduce energy and water use at home. - Eat less meat and waste less food. - Use public transportation or cycle. - Support climate-conscious businesses and policies.