Climate Change
What is the long-term change in Earth's average temperatures and weather patterns called?
Climate change
What gas do humans breathe out that also acts as a greenhouse gas?
Carbon dioxide
What happens to many glaciers as Earth's temperature rises?
They melt and shrink
What large white Arctic mammal relies on sea ice for hunting?
Polar bears
What is the large-scale clearing of forests called?
Deforestation
What is the long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature called?
Global warming
What is the natural process that traps some heat in Earth's atmosphere called?
The greenhouse effect
What happens to global sea level as the planet warms?
-Sea level rises
- affect marine animals
- coral reef bleaching
-Migrate
-Population declines
What gas do trees absorb from the atmosphere during photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide
What human activity releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere?
Burning fossil fuels
What greenhouse gas is released by livestock and decomposing organic waste?
Methane
What happens to ocean water as it warms, contributing to sea-level rise?
It expands
Coral reefs
What important process allows plants to use sunlight to make sugars?
Photosynthesis
What is the main cause of recent global climate change?
Human activities
Name two major fossil fuels whose burning releases carbon dioxide.
-Coal
-Oil
-Natural gas
Name one type of extreme weather that can become more intense due to global warming.
-Heavy rainfall events
Why can rising temperatures disrupt animal migration?
-Shifts seasonal timing
-Food availability decreases
-Releases stored carbon
-Reduces the forest's ability to absorb carbon dioxide
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions; climate describes long-term patterns
Why do increased greenhouse gas concentrations warm Earth?
They reduce the amount of infrared energy escaping to space
Why does melting Arctic sea ice contribute to additional warming?
How can climate change increase extinction risks?
Changes habitats faster than species can adapt or relocate
What is the term for planting trees to restore an area that was previously forested?
Reforestation