The Greenhouse Effect
What are the gases in the atmosphere that trap heat near Earth called?
Greenhouse gases
What greenhouse gas is released when fossil fuels are burned?
Carbon dioxide
What are large, slow moving bodies of ice found on land called?
Glaciers
How long must scientists study weather patterns to understand how climate change effects extreme weather?
Many years
What happens to the animals that cannot adapt quickly enough to climate change?
They go extinct.
What household item is the greenhouse effect compared to?
A blanket
Name 2 thing that humans do that increase the greenhouse effect.
Burning fossil fuels
Cutting down forests
What happens when land ice melts?
It adds water to the ocean and sea levels rise
Name 2 groups of people who are especially vulnerable to dangerous heat waves.
The elderly
People who work outdoors
What are some species doing to find suitable temperatures?
Where does energy come from before it reaches Earth's surface?
The sun
Name 3 examples of fossil fuels that people burn.
Coal
Oil
Natural gas
Name 2 animals that are affected by melting ice.
Polar bears
Seals
Penguins
Name 3 types of extreme weather events that are becoming more common due to climate change.
Hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires
Why are coral reefs dying?
Warmer ocean water causes coral bleaching.
Name 3 examples of greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Ozone
What happens when there are more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
Name 2 locations on Earth where ice caps cover large areas of land.
North and South Poles
Why does warmer air lead to heavier rainfall?
It can hold more water vapor.
Name 2 things that happen when there are changes in growing seasons.
Plants bloom at different times
Animals have their young at different times
What would happen if we didn't have the natural greenhouse effect?
Earth would be too cold for most living things
Name 3 reasons why humans burn fossil fuels
To heat buildings
For electricity
To power vehicles
Name 3 things that animals depend on frozen habitats for.
Food
Shelter
Travel
Name 2 problems that changing precipitation patterns are causing.
Making it harder for farmers to grow crops.
Making it harder to people to have access to fresh water to drink.
Name an example of a specific problem that can happen when food chains are disrupted.
Flowers bloom earlier but the insects that pollinate them haven't arrived yet.