Climate Basics
Long-term prevailing weather patterns in a particular place
What is climate?
Gases that absorb and radiate heat around our planet
What are greenhouse gases?
The layer of the stratosphere that protects earth from the sun's strongest ultraviolet radiation
What is the ozone layer?
The earth is getting ____________.
What is warmer/hotter?
The cool phase of Pacific oceanic circulation, resulting in less rain for the U.S.A.
What is La Niña?
A location's distance from the equator and the most significant determinant of that area's climate
What is latitude?
6 examples of greenhouse gases
What are carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrous oxide?
The chemical used in propellants and coolants that was found to destroy ozone molecules
What are chlorofluorocarbons?
The primary cause of global warming over the 20th century
What are increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to human use of fossil fuels?
What is higher?
The warm water phase of thermocycling in the Pacific Ocean, which pushes water eastward towards North America
What is El Nino?
What is photosynthesis?
The atom broken off from CFCs by sunlight that is capable of pulling apart thousands of ozone molecules.
What is chlorine?
Four consequences of global warming.
Two reasons even a small amount of CFCs can be really damaging to the ozone layer
What are 1 Cl atom can pull apart thousands of ozone molecules and CFCs remain active for 60-120 years?
The reason why higher latitudes have seasons
What is the earth's tilt leading to less direct sunlight further from the equator?
Four human activities that increase methane in the atmosphere.
What are decomposition in landfills, cattle ranching, processing of oil and gas, and some agricultural processes like growing rice?
A broad range pesticide, this chemical is classified as an ozone-depleting substance. Most countries have agreed to phase out its use.
What is methyl bromide?
Three damaging effects of increased UV radiation from a damaged ozone layer
Impact of climate change most likely to affect a coastal city
What is rising sea levels/flooding?
A dry region on the leeward side of mountains due to mountains blocking moisture-laden air
What is a rain shadow?
The season in which CO2 levels decrease in the northern hemisphere due to natural processes.
What is summer?
High altitude clouds made of water and nitric acid that form when temperatures are below -800C.
What are polar stratospheric clouds?
One example each of what an individual, a business, and a whole community can do to address climate change.
Some combination of: driving less, efficient living, less waste, repowering factories to run off clean energy, cleaning emissions, alternative energy power grids, stricter laws, increased public transportation, etc?
The prevailing winds closest to the top and bottom of the planet
What are polar easterlies?