Climate Change
What is the greenhouse effect?
The warming of the Earth when greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere
Name one air pollutant.
Examples: carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter.
What is ocean acidification?
A decrease in ocean pH caused mainly by increased carbon dioxide dissolving in seawater.
What is an ecosystem?
A community of organisms interacting with each other and their physical environment.
What does recycling mean?
Processing waste materials so they can be used again.
Name one greenhouse gas.
Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide etc.
What type of pollution is smog?
Air pollution.
Name one major source of water pollution.
Sewage, fertilizers, oil spills, industrial waste, etc.
What are producers?
Organisms, mainly plants, that make their own food.
Name one renewable energy source.
Solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, etc.
Name one human activity that increases CO₂ in the atmosphere.
Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, industries, transportation etc.
Name one effect of air pollution on humans.
It may cause breathing problems, asthma, lung irritation, etc.
What gas causes ocean acidification when it dissolves in seawater?
Carbon dioxide (CO₂).
What is a food chain?
A feeding relationship showing how energy passes from one organism to another.
What is deforestation?
The large-scale removal of forests.
Explain one effect of global warming on sea level.
Global warming melts glaciers/ice sheets and causes seawater to expand, raising sea level.
How can burning fossil fuels contribute to smog?
Burning fossil fuels releases pollutants such as nitrogen oxides that can help form smog.
Why can ocean acidification harm corals?
More acidic water reduces the availability of carbonate needed by corals to build their calcium carbonate skeletons.
What could happen to a food chain if one species disappears?
Organisms that depend on that species for food may decrease, disrupting the food chain.
Explain one way deforestation can increase global warming.
Fewer trees are available to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere, and cutting/burning trees can release stored carbon.
Why does an increase in greenhouse gases cause Earth's temperature to rise?
More greenhouse gases trap more outgoing heat in the atmosphere, causing temperatures to increase.
Give one way air pollution can be reduced and explain how it works.
Examples include using cleaner energy or public transportation, which reduces pollutants released into the atmosphere.
Explain how excess fertilizer entering water can harm aquatic organisms.
Fertilizer can cause excessive algal growth. When the algae die and decompose, oxygen levels fall and aquatic organisms may die.
Why is biodiversity important to an ecosystem?
Biodiversity helps ecosystems remain stable and provides different organisms that perform important ecological roles.
Give one environmental advantage of using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
Renewable energy generally produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants than fossil fuels.