Unit 2 CLIMATE AND CHANGE

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  • Created by: Priya
  • Created on: 31-12-13 16:29
What is meant by the term 'weather'?
Short term, day to day changes in the atmosphere
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What is meant by the term 'Climate'?
The average weather conditions over 30 years
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How do we know climate was different in the past?
Fossils of animals and plants that no longer live in the UK, Land forms left by glaciers, Ice core samples from ice sheets in Antarctica. Ice sheets are made up of layers of ice, a layer for each year. Trapped in the ice sheets are air bubbles.
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What is a climatologist?
They study the CO2 levels to reconstruct past climates
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What is Inter glacial?
Warm periods
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What is glacial?
Cold periods, ice ages, ice sheets 400 - 300m thick extended across the northern hemisphere
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How do we know climate has changed in the more recent past?
Old photos, paintings, Diaries, Newspapers, Recorded dates of blossom and migration of birds
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State what the Eruption theory explains why climate has changed?
very large and explosive volcanic eruptions change earths climate. Ash and gas spread around the stratosphere and stop sunlight reaching the earths surface -> cools the earth. Example is Mt Pinatubo 1991, Philippines - reduce sunlight by 10%
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State what the Sunspot theory explains why climate has changed?
black areas on the suns surface. Some times there are more then they disappear. Spots mean greater activity and more solar energy being sent towards the earth -> warmer
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State what the Orbital theory explains why climate has changed?
Changes in the way the earth orbits the sun from circuar to ellipse alters the amount of sunlight the earth receives
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What does the term ecosystem mean?
where animals and plants interact with each other and their environment in order to survive. Can be small e.g pond or large e.g Tropical Rain-forest
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How were ecosystems affected by climate change in the past? (The dinosaur extinction)
Possibly caused by a massive asteroid hitting Mexico and a huge volcano in India combining -> dust, ash, gas into the stratosphere -> blocks the sun -> cools the climate -> plants don't grow -> dinosaurs have no food -> know on effect (food chain)
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How were ecosystems affected by climate change in the past? (Mega fauna)
big animals like the woolly mammoth. The climate was warming so they has to find new areas to live where the climate suited them. This disrupted food chains. Humans also hunted them to extinction.
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How is our atmosphere being changed by human?
Greenhouses trap heat from leaving the atmosphere and re-radiate that heat back down to earth. The greater the concentration of greenhouse gases, the more heat is trapped and the warmer earth becomes
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List all the greenhouse gases?
CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, Methane from paddy fields and cattle, Nitrous oxide from aircraft engines and fertilizers,
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Why do we need a NATURAL greenhouse effect?
it makes teh planet 16 degrees warmer. Without it earth would be too cold for us to survive
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What does the term 'global warming' mean?
A warming of the earths temperatures caused by the ENHANCED greenhouse effect (humans have polluted the atmosphere so it is working more strongly)
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What will happen if global warming rises?
Sea levels will rise, THERMAL EXPANSION (water droplets expand as warm) and glaciers and ice sheets melt
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What evidence is there of Global Warming happening?
19 out of 20 warmest years on record since 1980, Sea ice in the Arctic shrank, 90% glaciers shrinking
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Why will it be hard to predict global warming in the future?
We don't know what the future population will be, If we continue to use fossil fuels or change to cleaner feuls e.g solar, wind power, If we will change our lifestyles-> recycle -> use public transport etc.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is meant by the term 'Climate'?

Back

The average weather conditions over 30 years

Card 3

Front

How do we know climate was different in the past?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is a climatologist?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is Inter glacial?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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