Chapter 14: Climate Change
This term refers to the warming of Earth's surface due to gases trapping heat in the atmosphere.
What is the greenhouse effect?
These processes help distribute heat around the Earth, but they are not responsible for the current rapid changes in climate.
What is ocean circulation?
This term refers to the movement of people from rural to urban areas.
What is urbanization?
These three fossil fuels supply the majority of the world’s energy.
What are oil, coal, and natural gas?
This is the term for waste materials that are dangerous or harmful to human health or the environment.
What is hazardous waste?
This term refers to short-term atmospheric conditions at a specific time and place.
What is weather?
This is the primary gas responsible for the greenhouse effect in our atmosphere.
What is carbon dioxide (CO₂)?
This phenomenon involves cities expanding outward, often leading to the loss of green space.
What is urban sprawl?
This term refers to energy that is gained from burning organic materials, such as plant or animal products.
What is biomass energy?
This term refers to the process of reducing the amount of waste generated in the first place.
What is source reduction?
These are the three main factors influencing climate change.
What are greenhouse gases, solar radiation, and Earth's position relative to the Sun?
This natural process involves the cyclical changes in Earth's orbit that can influence climate patterns.
What are Milankovitch cycles?
This type of housing is designed to reduce land consumption and encourage more sustainable urban growth.
What is cluster housing?
This term describes the energy output gained from an energy source compared to the energy invested in it.
What is Energy Returned on Investment (EROI)?
This method involves converting waste into materials that can be used again, such as recycling plastic into new products.
What is recycling?
The slowing of this atmospheric feature is believed to be related to more extreme weather events.
What is the polar jet stream?
The rising temperatures caused by climate change are leading to melting ice in the Arctic and Antarctic, which impacts this global phenomenon, increasing the risk of flooding and coastal erosion.
What is sea level rise?
These types of transit methods, such as subways and buses, are considered more sustainable than cars.
What are public transit systems?
These cells convert sunlight directly into electricity and are found in solar panels.
What are photovoltaic (PV) cells?
This renewable biofuel is produced from plants like corn or sugarcane and can be used to fuel vehicles.
What is ethanol?
This is the term for gases like CO₂ that trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.
What is a greenhouse gas?
This occurs when excess absorption of carbon dioxide causes a shift in pH in the ocean.
What is ocean acidification?
This type of effect refers to urban areas becoming hotter than surrounding rural areas due to human activity and infrastructure.
What is the urban heat island effect?
This renewable energy source involves tapping into heat stored within the Earth, often used for heating or generating electricity.
What is geothermal energy?
These devices, which are commonly found on rooftops, use dark-colored metal plates to absorb heat and transfer it throughout a building.
What are flat plate solar collectors?