Climate and Weather Models
What 2 things make up climate?
Temperature and precipitation
What is pH?
A measurement of how acidic something is
What sphere is Earth's ice apart of?
The cryosphere
What does "mitigate" mean?
To lessen or try to prevent
What are Earth's 4 spheres?
Hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, geosphere (and cryosphere)
What do we call the phenomenon of Earth's changing temperature
Climate change/global warming
Name at least ONE effect of ocean acidification
Coral bleaching, Earth's ocean's pH decreases, marine species die off, etc.
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 causing Earth's sea level to rise?
What is a grolar bear?
A hybrid species of a polar bear and a grizzly bear
Identify a trend in the picture Mr. Thomas will show
Earth's overall temperature is increasing
What gas is causing Earth's oceans to acidify?
Carbon dioxide
What is the unit for the rate of change of the extent of sea ice of Earth?
kilometer2 per year or km2/year
Which of Earth's 4 spheres is mostly affected by rising sea levels?
The hydrosphere
What kind of gas is carbon dioxide?
A greenhouse gas
What is something climate scientists measure in order to create climate models?
Temperature, precipitation, humidity, air pressure
What does carbon dioxide become when it enters Earth's oceans?
List out the 3 steps necessary to calculate the rate of change for the extent of sea ice on Earth
1. Calculate how much ice was lost by subtracting the more recent (last) year with the older (first) year)
2. Calculate how many years it has been
3. Divide the ice lost by the amount of years it has been
List whether these mitigation strategies are reversible or irreversible:
Flood barriers
Using rivers for excess flood water
Hard shoreline maintenance
Flood barriers - reversible
Using rivers - irreversible
Hard shoreline maintenance - reversible
If the rate of change for sea ice is negative, what does this tell us?
The amount of sea ice on Earth is decreasing
Are climate models always reliable? Why or why not?
Climate models are not always reliable. This is because they have to use data and create models for future events.
List out 5 steps of how Earth's oceans become more acidic. Start with "Humans burn fossil fuels"
1. Humans burn fossil fuels
2. Carbon dioxide is produced from burning fossil fuels
3. Carbon dioxide enters oceans
4. Carbon dioxide turns into a carbonic acid when mixed with water
5. Ocean acidifies and pH decreases
If there was 6.40 million square kilometers of sea ice on Earth in 1998, but 4.60 million square kilometers of sea ice on Earth in 2018, what is the rate of change for the sea ice on Earth? (Hint: You will need to calculate an answer for this)
1. 4.60 km2 - 6.40 km2 = -1.8 km2
2. 2018 - 1998 = 20 years
3. -1.6/20 = -0.09 km2/year
Name one mitigation strategy we used in class and how it helped mitigate rising sea levels
Constructing new infrastructure, maintaining/restoring wetlands, hard/soft shoreline maintenance, specific strategy will vary
How is climate change affecting coral reefs?