Vocabulary
What was the Ice Age?
A time in the past when large parts of the Earth's surface were covered with ice.
What causes the cycle of seasons?
The tilt of the Earth's axis.
What was Pangea?
Pangea is the name for the supercontinent when all our continents were pushed together.
What is an El Nino event?
an irregular climate event in the Pacific Ocean in which winds shift, pushing warm water towards the coast of South America.
What happens when volcanoes release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere?
- The climate gets warmer.
- The climate gets cooler.
- Winter becomes longer.
The climate gets warmer.
What shape is an elliptical?
Shaped like a flattened circle.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is what you see outside on a particular day. It is short-term.
Climate is what you expect the weather to be. It is based on probability.
What clues are left behind to teach us about past climates?
Pollen grains
Tree rings
Fossils
Name 1 of the 4 types of Greenhouse Gasses.
Carbon dioxide: made from burning fossil fuels, waste, and wood.
Methane: cattle farming, landfills, natural decay.
Nitrous oxide: fertilizers in farming, industrial activities.
Fluorinated gases: refrigeration and air conditioning
Which substance is a greenhouse gas that is emitted by human activities, is the most widespread, and remains in the air the longest?
- water vapor
- methane
- fluorinated gas
- carbon dioxide
carbon dioxide
What are greenhouse gases?
Gases in the atmosphere that trap solar energy.
What are the 3 temperature zones?
Tropical: warm temperatures year-round.
Polar: cool temperatures year-round.
Temperate: temperature changes from summer to winter.
Would a tree have narrower or wider rings in a warm and wet climate?
In warm and wet climates, trees grow faster, producing wider rings.
In cool and dry climates, trees grow slowly, producing narrow rings.
What is a La Nina event?
Increases hurricane activity in the Atlantic.
Causes colder winters and more rainfall in the PNW.
How do scientists use ice to study ancient climates?
- through glacial deposits and ice cores
- through glacial deposits and ice ages
- through ice cores and and Earth’s ellipse
- through Earth’s ellipse and ice ages
through glacial deposits and ice cores
What is a solar flare?
A sudden eruption of energy from a small area of the Sun's surface.
How do ocean currents effect temperature?
Move warm water from the equator to the poles and heat air over land.
Carry cold water from the poles to the equator and cool air over land.
What type of gas is released into the air during a volcanic eruption?
Sulfur dioxide
Name 2 negative effects of global warming.
Higher air temperatures: faster evaporation of water in soil. Land dries out.
Rising ocean temperatures: melting of glaciers. Increased sea level. Flooding of low-lying coastal areas. Increased strength of hurricanes.
Decreasing air quality: increased illness. Decreased population.
During the entire month of June, temperatures increase in the Northern Hemisphere and decrease in the Southern Hemisphere.
What causes these temperature changes?
- The Sun reaches its lowest point in the sky.
- The Sun reaches its highest point in the sky.
- The north end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the Sun.
- The south end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the Sun.
The north end of Earth’s axis is tilted toward the Sun.
What is the difference between solstice and equinox?
Solstice is the 2 days of the year on which the Sun reaches its greatest distance north or south of the equator.
Equinox is the 2 times each year when days and nights are approximately the same length of time.
Which type of surface temperature can change more quickly - land or water?
Land surface temperatures change more rapidly than water surfaces.
About every ____ years, the Sun goes through a period during which it emits more energy than normal.
What do scientists believe is the #1 cause of global warming?
Increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Result of increased human activities, burning wood, coal, oil, and natural gas.
What occurs when the Northern Hemisphere experiences spring and the Southern Hemisphere experiences fall?
- The Sun is directly overhead in the Northern Hemisphere.
- The Southern Hemisphere receives more direct rays from the Sun.
- The Northern and Southern Hemispheres get the same amount of energy from the Sun.
- The Northern Hemisphere receives more daylight hours than the Southern Hemisphere.
The Northern and Southern Hemispheres get the same amount of energy from the Sun.