The Carbon Cycle
How does carbon enter the biosphere?
Photosynthesis
What is the most commonly used energy source in Montana?
Coal
What is the most significant greenhouse gas that is contributing to global warming?
Carbon Dioxide
What is the primary cause of increased global temperatures?
Burning fossil fuels
What is the best way to combat climate change?
Lower carbon emissions
During the process of decay, carbon primarily ends up in which 2 Earth systems?
The geosphere and the atmosphere
What is the most commonly used renewable energy source in Montana?
Hydroelectric Power
How much faster is the rate of global warming today than it was during the past glacial-interglacial warming period?
4x-25x faster today
Why will warmer global temperatures result in more intense weather events?
More heat = more energy
If all carbon emissions were to stop today, what would happen to Earth's average global temperature?
It would stabilize (but not decline)
The carbon in coal originated from what?
Ancient plants in swamps
Most of the energy on Earth comes from where?
The sun
A "greenhouse gas" absorbs and reemits what type of electromagnetic radiation?
Infrared
As our climate changes, how is the frequency of wildfires in Montana expected to change?
They will become more frequent
One way to reduce energy consumption is to improve insulation. Some groups are using fungi to help with this by using what byproduct?
Fungal mycelium
As CO2 diffuses from the atmosphere into the ocean, what happens to the pH level of the ocean?
The pH decreases (becomes more acidic)
How is energy released from fossil fuels?
Combustion (burning)
Scientists collect ice core samples to learn about Earth's past climates. What is stored in these ice cores that scientists can analyze?
Tiny air bubbles
Climate change will increase the total amount of precipitation in some areas. Why could this be a problem?
Too much precipitation can be harmful for crop growth
The process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide to reduce emissions is called what?
Carbon sequestration
What are the 4 factors necessary for a fossil fuel to form?
An anaerobic environment, saturation, high heat, and high pressure.
In Montana, coal power is slowly being replaced by which energy source?
Wind
Earth's climate shifts between glacial and interglacial periods roughly every 100,000 years. What causes these natural changes in climate?
Milankovitch Cycles (variations in Earth's orbit around the sun)
During an El Niño year, how is the weather in Montana affected?
The winter is usually more mild and dry
Name one of the planetary boundaries produced by Mongabay that is beyond the zone of uncertainty (high risk).
Novel entities, biogeochemical flows, or biosphere integrity