Climate Change
When did human activities start to become the main driver of climate change?
1800s
Name three types of pollution.
Land, water, air
What is the name of the devastating category 5 hurricane that made landfall in the southeastern United States in 2005?
Hurricane Katrina
What are the top three countries that produce the most carbon dioxide annually?
1. China 2. United States 3. India
What is the main human activity that contributes to climate change?
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas.
What is SMOG?
A mix of smoke and fog. This is a form of air pollution that reduces visibility.
Hurricanes are classified into how many categories?
5. 1 (weakest) to 5 (strongest).
Name at least two greenhouse gases.
Carbon Dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapor.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Climate is the average weather patterns over a long period of time. Weather describes conditions over a short time period.
Land pollution is also know as what?
Soil contamination
What Island in Hawaii had a devastating fire in 2023?
Maui
How can global warming cause sea levels to rise?
Melting glaciers and ice caps.
What four extreme weather events are becoming more intense and frequent because of climate change?
Hurricanes, floods, heat waves, and wildfires.
Name three sources of water pollution.
Runoff, sewage and wastewater, oil spills, industrial waste
What factors contribute to increased flooding in recent years? List at least two.
Extreme weather, rising sea levels, and warmer temperatures.
How much hotter (in Celsius) was it in 2024? Above pre-industrial levels.
WMO confirms 2024 as warmest year on record at about 1.55°C above pre-industrial level
Why are gases like carbon dioxide called greenhouse gases?
Because they, like the glass walls of a greenhouse, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, preventing it from escaping back into space.
What is the name of the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world and is located between Hawaii and California?
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
What conditions cause a wildfire?
High winds, a lot of dry vegetation, little to no rainfall, and high temperatures.
Name two general sources of methane (CH4) emissions (not countries).
Agriculture/livestock, landfills, natural gas.