RADIATION
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
FORCINGS & FEEDBACKS
EXTREME EVENTS
WILDCARD
100
Which of the following surfaces has the highest albedo? Which has the lowest?
Albedo is the fraction of incoming radiation that gets reflected by a surface.
High albedo: snowman Low albedo: dinosaur
100
True or False:
Scientists discovered the greenhouse effect in the 1950's.
False!
The Greenhouse effect was deduced by scientists in the 18th century.
100
Give an example of a positive feedback.
What is the forcing that this feedback responds to?
Lots of choices here!
A positive feedback cycle amplifies the initial forcing.
100
How is precipitation expected to change in the future?
With higher temperatures, we expect to see a general pattern of:
Wet getting wetter
Dry getting drier
100
Which sources of ice can lead to sea level rise? Which can’t?
Leads to rising sea levels: Glaciers, permafrost, ice sheets, snow melt.
Doesn’t raise sea levels: Sea ice
200
Which of the following is associated with “longwave” with regards to climate?
(a) Thermal infrared radiation
(b) Radio waves
(c) Visible light
(d) Ultraviolet light
Thermal infrared radiation
200
How do greenhouse gases warm the Earth?
They absorb and re-emit longwave radiation.
(there are lots of ways to say this)
200
An increase in temperature will result in (more/less) ice, (increasing/decreasing) the Earth’s albedo, resulting in a/an (increase/decrease) in Earth’s temperature. This is an example of a (positive/negative) (forcing/feedback).
An increase in temperature will result in less ice, decreasing the Earth’s albedo, resulting in a/an increase in Earth’s temperature. This is an example of a positive feedback.
200
Why do heat waves have more of an impact in cities?
(Give at least 2 reasons)
Urban heat island effect
More people
More pollution – can get harmful air trapped for long periods
200
True or false:
The land and oceans have warmed about the same amount.
False!
Land has warmed more than the oceans.
300
Why does the sun emit shortwave radiation?
The sun is very hot and has a lot of energy, so it radiates at shorter wavelengths than the earth.
300
What is the present day value of atmospheric CO2?
How much has it increased since pre-industrial times?
Pre-industrial CO2 levels: 280 ppm
Present day CO2 levels: 400 ppm
300
What are the main anthropogenic forcings on the earth’s climate over the last 100 years?
(Name both positive and negative forcings)
Positive forcings: greenhouse gases +3 W/m2
Negative forcings: pollution particles -1.2 W/m2
Net anthropogenic effect: +1.7 W/m
300
Explain how humidity and nighttime temperatures can make a bad heat wave even worse.
Humidity: increasing humidity raises the heat index – it makes it feel hotter, because we can’t evaporate sweat to cool down
Hot night temperatures stop buildings from cooling down, making it even hotter the next day.
300
The energy balance for the Earth can be expressed as
Energy in = Energy out
What happens if Ein > Eout? ?
(E = Energy)
Earth will warm up
400
Which of the following correctly describes the effect of albedo?
(a) Incoming shortwave radiation is reflected back to space leaving as longwave radiation
(b) Incoming shortwave radiation is reflected back to space leaving as shortwave radiation
(c) Incoming longwave radiation is reflected back to space leaving as longwave radiation
(d) Incoming longwave radiation is reflected back to space leaving as shortwave radiation
Incoming shortwave radiation is reflected back to space leaving as shortwave radiation.
Incoming radiation from the sun, also called solar or shortwave radiation, is unchanged when it reflects off a surface.
Also, remember:
Solar radiation = shortwave radiation
Terrestrial radiation = longwave radiation = IR (infrared radiation)
400
Why is there so much emphasis on policies to reduce CO2 if most other greenhouse gases have significantly higher global warming potentials?
(Hint: there are 2 reasons)
Global Warming Potential considers lifetime and per-molecule absorption strength, not concentration.
There is much more CO2 in the atmosphere than other greenhouse gases other than water vapor.
400
Cloud feedbacks in a warming climate are difficult to determine because different types of clouds (i.e. thick/thin vs. low/high) have different relative strengths of ________ and ________.
(a) Shortwave radiation emission; longwave radiation emission
(b) Albedo; the greenhouse effect
(c) Snowfall; rainfall
(d) Precipitation; albedo
(b) Albedo; the greenhouse effect
400
Why are dry regions, as a whole, expected to get drier with increased temperatures?
(a) Higher temperatures make it easier for water to evaporate
(b) Midlatitude weather is expected to move poleward with warming
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) Neither (a) nor (b)
(c) Both (a) and (b)
400
On the board, draw a diagram of the Hadley Cell. Label the latitudes at which air is ascending and descending and the location of the ITCZ.
500
Why do the sun and Earth emit radiation at different wavelengths?
They emit at much different temperatures.
500
List four greenhouse gases we’ve discussed in class.
What is the most important natural greenhouse gas?
Which anthropogenic greenhouse gas is having the biggest impact on the planet?
water vapor (most important natural GHG)
carbon dioxide (biggest impact)
Methane
nitrous oxide
Ozone
CFCs
500
Since the 1970s, coal power plants have been required to reduce their emission of air pollutants such as sulfate aerosols. The reduced emission of sulfate aerosols is a __________________ on the climate system which acts via the aerosol direct effect.
(a) positive forcing
(b) negative forcing
(c) positive feedback
(d) negative feedback
(a) positive forcing
500
Why do dry climates have more extreme temperatures than wet climates? (explain BOTH the night and day extremes).
Daytime – Evaporation cools hot days.
Nighttime – Water Vapor greenhouse effect traps heat
(there are lots of ways to say this)
500
The most recent IPCC (international panel on climate change) report that came out in October 2018 states that:
(choose 2 of the three options)
A) Limiting global warming to 1.5ºC would require rapid, far reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society
B) Limiting warming to 1.5ºC is impossible within the laws of chemistry and physics but doing 2ºC is still feasible
C) The report gives policymakers and practitioners the information they need to make decisions that tackle climate change while considering local context and people’s needs.
A) Limiting global warming to 1.5ºC would require rapid, far reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society
C) The report gives policymakers and practitioners the information they need to make decisions that tackle climate change while considering local context and people’s needs.
Read more here: https://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/session48/pr_181008_P48_spm_en.pdf