Historic Climate
Where does most of the Earth's energy come from?
The Sun's radiation
What is a greenhouse gas?
A gas that absorbs heat/radiation from the Sun and warms Earth's atmosphere
What is pH?
A measurement of how acidic something is
What is happening to the amount of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere?
The amount of greenhouse gases is increasing
What does "mitigate" mean?
To lessen or try to prevent
What is a 'carbon sink?'
A place where carbon is stored
What is the purpose of a climate model?
To simulate and predict future outcomes of climate change
What is 'ocean acidification?'
The decrease in pH of Earth's oceans
What is currently happening to the amount of ice on Earth and what is causing it?
It is decreasing/melting due to increasing global temperatures
What is 1 example of a renewable energy source?
Solar panels, wind turbines, hydrogen fuel, etc.
Describe the phenomenon of 'albedo'
Darker color objects absorb more light energy, while lighter color objects reflect more light energy
What is the most common greenhouse gas in Earth's atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide
What is the main cause of more greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere?
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas
What is causing Earth's sea level to rise?
What is 1 way to reduce your carbon footprint?
Drive less, eat less meat, buy fewer new products, etc.
How do changes in Earth's tilt and orbit affect its climate?
Where is most carbon stored on Earth?
In fossil fuels/the geosphere
What does carbon dioxide become when it enters Earth's oceans?
Carbonic acid (and bicarbonate)
Name at least ONE effect of ocean acidification
Coral bleaching, Earth's ocean's pH decreases, marine species die off, etc.
What 3 things are the most important to look at when designing a solution to climate change?
Economic, environmental and social/ethical impacts
What element, that allows us to breathe air, helped organisms like cyanobacteria evolve to perform photosynthesis?
Oxygen
No, they are not the same.
Global warming - the general increase in Earth's temperature
Climate change - also includes the increase of natural disasters like hurricanes and long-term changes on Earth
How does ocean acidification and rising sea levels cause more erosion at coasts?
Ocean acidification = coral reefs "shield" the land from more water, preventing erosion
How are humans affected by climate change?
Moving if you are near the coast/water, less sea food like crabs and oysters, more dangerous/warmer temperatures, etc.
Name one mitigation strategy for rising sea levels and how it helped mitigate rising sea levels
Constructing new infrastructure, maintaining/restoring wetlands, hard/soft shoreline maintenance, specific strategy will vary