Physical Causes
large quantities of volcanic dust in the atmosphere shield the Earth from incoming insolation, which lowers global temperatures
How do volcanic eruptions cause climate change?
Burning of fossil fuels by factories or industry.
CO2 is released by what?
Coral bleaching
Glaciers pick up rocks and debris, carrying them along the glacier's base, and polishing and carving the underlying bedrock
What is abrasion?
An armchair shaped hollow
What is a corrie?
The oceans help to transfer heat around the world. Changes to oceanic circulation can impact on global temperatures
How does ocean circulation cause climate change?
If trees are cut down atmospheric levels of CO2 rise and reduces the available storage of carbon.
How does deforestation cause climate change?
Mauritius, Tuvalu and the Maldives
What are some countries that are at risk due to rising sea levels?
when glaciers melt and then freeze onto rocks pulling them away as it moves
What is plucking?
A craggy, jagged peak, in a semi-triangular shape
What is a pyramidal peak?
melting releases large quantities of methane into the atmosphere
How does melting permafrost cause climate change?
Increases in cattle farming and rice production
How is methane added to the atmosphere?
Loss of habitat, for example polar bears, resulting in possible extinction
What is an impact of melting sea ice?
When water gets into cracks in the rock, freezes, expands and shatters the rock
What is freeze thaw/frost shattering?
What is a U-shaped valley?
More tilt means warmer summers and colder winters, less tilt has the opposite effect.
How does Milankovitch theory cause climate change?
Vehicle exhausts, nitrogen fertilisers and power stations
What produces NO2 (nitros oxide)
More frequent and more severe weather events such as storms
How does climate change affect the weather?
Erodes the backwall of the corrie making it steeper
What does plucking do?
A stream too small for the valley it is in
What is a misfit stream?
Fluctuations in solar activity over time can increase or decrease global temperatures. Peaks of sun spot activity leads to increased temperatures.
How do sunspots cause climate change?
200-300 times more effective in trapping heat
How much more effective is NO2 than CO2?
When the sea is heated up it expands further increasing the risks of flooding to low lying nations
How does thermal expansion affect climate change?
Erodes the bottom of the corrie making it deeper
What does abrasion do?
A smaller U-shaped valley with a waterfall hanging above the main valley
What is a hanging valley?