Geography

Green house effect

The atmosphere allows heat from the sun to pass straight through it to warm up the earths surface. However when the earth gives off heat in the form of long wave radiation, some gases such as carbon dioxide are able to absorb it, this warms the earth

1 of 29

Enhanced green house effect

Natural greenhouse effect becomes more efficient due to human activity e.g. burning fossil fuels

2 of 29

Types of green house gases and description

Carbon dioxide - 60% of the 'enhanced green house effect, incresed by 30% since 1850. Methane - Very efficient when absorbing heat. Nitrous oxides - Very small concentrates but 300 times more efficient as absorbing heat than carbon dioxide

3 of 29

Sources of Carbon dioxie

Burning fossil fuels (e.g. oil, gas, coal), car exhausts, deforestation, respiration, volcanic activity

4 of 29

Sources of methane

Decaying organic material in landfill sites and compost tips, rice farming

5 of 29

Sources of nitrouse oxides

Car exhausts, power stations producing electricity, sewage treatments

6 of 29

Pleistocenee period

Geological time period lasting from bout 2 million years ago until 10,000 years ago. Sometimes this period is referred to the ice age

7 of 29

Glacials

Cold periods of time

8 of 29

Interglacials

Warm periods of time

9 of 29

Evidence of global warming

Diaries, paintings, historical records, direct measurements of temperatures (mostly after 1850), photagraphic evidence (e.g.Kilimanjaro glacier, Nepal glacier - 40% of people use the glacier for water), ice cores, early sprint

10 of 29

Ice cores

Where the water molecules and trapped air can be analysed to detect subtle changes in past temperatures. They do this by extracting ice from low in snow/ice

11 of 29

Early spring

Over the last 30 years there have been seasonal shifts and spring is coming earlier

12 of 29

Albedo affect

When the ice reflects the suns radiation

13 of 29

Thermal expansion

When the sea gets heated, it expands which means the distance it travels onto land becomes larger

14 of 29

What would happen if global warming did not exist

There would be no life on earth as the atmosphere would be too cold to survive in

15 of 29

When soloar radiation is sent down to earth from the sun light coloured surfaces... and darker coloured surfaces...

Light coloured surfaces - most solar radiation is sent back into space. Dark coloured surfaces - Most solar radiation is absorbed

16 of 29

Track of Hurrican Katrina and when it occured

Affected areas were Ontario, Georgia, Mississippi, New Orleans, Kentucky, Alabama, Cuba, Louisiana and more in SE USA. It happened on the 29th August 2005, tropical storm in rich countries

17 of 29

Track of cyclone Nargis and when it occured

It affected India, Bangladesh, yangon, Sri lanka and Myanmar. It occured on the 2nd of May 2008

18 of 29

Social effects of Hurrican Katrina

More than 1,800 people died, 3000,000 houses destroyed, 3 million left without electricity, a main route in New Otleans was closed due to a collapsed bridge.

19 of 29

Social effects of Cyclone Nargis

More than 140,000 people were killed, 450,000 houses were destroyed, 2-3 million people were made homeless, 1,700 schools were destroyed

20 of 29

Economic effects of Hurricane Katrina

$300 billion of damage, 230,000 jobs were lost due to businesses being destroyed, 30 offshore oil platforms sunk or went missing (increasing the price of fuel), shops in New Orleans were looted by residents in days after the hurricane

21 of 29

Economic effects of Cyclone Nargis

$4 billion damage, millions of people lost their livelihoods, 200,000 farm animals were killed, Crops were lost, over 40% of food stores were destroyed

22 of 29

Environmental effects of Hurricane Katrina

The hurrican caused the sea to flood parts of the land and destroyed some costal habitats e.g. sea turtles breeding beaches

23 of 29

Environmental effects of Cyclone Nargis

Coastal habitats such as mangrove forests were damaged, the salt content of the soil in some areas has increased because of the flooding by the sea water, this means it is more difficult for plants to grow

24 of 29

Short and long term responses of Hurricane Katrina

Short - During the storm the coastal guard, police, fire service, army and volunteers rescued over 50,000 people, 25,000 were given temporary shelter in Louisiana stadium, Long - $34 billion given for rebuilding

25 of 29

Short and long term responses of Cyclone Nargis

Short - Burmas government initially refused foreign aid, UN launched a massive appeal to raise money. Long - Burma is relying on the international aid to repair the damage, fewer than 20,000 homes were rebuilt + 500,000 still in temporary shelters

26 of 29

Preparation for Hurrican Katrina

USA has a sophisticates monotoring system to predict when a hurrican will hit (e.g. satellite images), Mississippi and Louisians delared states of emergency on 26th August, 70-80% New Orleans residents were evacuated before the hurricane reached

27 of 29

Preparation of cyclone Nargis

Inian and Thai weather agencies warned the Burmese govenment that the cyclone was likely to hit the country. Despite this, Burmese forecasters reported there was little or not risk, no emergency of evacuation plans

28 of 29

Etreme weather

Weather that is not what is expected normally. It occurs relatively rarely but may last longer than expected. It may break met office records, e.g. droughts, heavy snow, floods, strong winds or thick fog

29 of 29

Get Revising

Geography

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Back

Card 3

Front

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

Back

Comments

Similar Geography resources:

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Back

Card 3

Front

Back

Card 4

Front

Back

Card 5

Front

Back

Comments

Related discussions on The Student Room

Similar Geography resources: