Obliquity & Ice
Earth's Tilt is called this.
Obliquity
The process trees use to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere.
What is photosynthesis?
Burning fossil fuels increases this gas in the atmosphere.
What is carbon dioxide?
Sunspots are cooler or hotter than the surrounding Sun?
What is cooler?
The Hawaiian Islands were formed by this geologic feature.
What is a hotspot?
A smaller tilt causes this change in solar energy in the Northern Hemisphere.
What is less solar radiation?
The Earth sphere where trees store carbon.
What is the biosphere?
Planting trees after wildfires helps reduce this.
What is atmospheric CO₂?
Sunspots occur in approximately this many year cycles.
What is 11 years?
This tectonic plate moves over the hotspot.
What is the Pacific Plate?
When Earth's tilt decreases, polar ice will do this.
What is increase?
This Earth system absorbs and releases large amounts of carbon.
What is the ocean? (hydrosphere)
This type of energy reduces carbon emissions.
What is renewable energy?
Fewer sunspots generally lead to this climate effect on Earth.
What is cooler temperatures?
The youngest Hawaiian island is this.
What is Hawaii?
Explain the relationship between tilt and climate. (for energy, temp, ice)
Less tilt leads to less solar energy, cooler temperatures and more ice formation.
Explain how trees decrease atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Trees take in CO₂ during photosynthesis and store carbon in plant tissue and soil.
Explain one way humans respond to climate change.
Replanting trees, reducing emissions, or using cleaner energy.
The Maunder Minimum is known for this sunspot pattern.
What is very few sunspots?
The Pacific Plate moves in this direction.
What is northwest?
Earth's obliquity reaches 22.1 degrees. Predict the climate impact on the Northern Hemisphere during winter.
The Northern Hemisphere receives less energy, causing cooler temperatures and more ice formation.
Explain HOW the carbon cycle naturally balances carbon between Earth’s systems.
Carbon moves between atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere through photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and ocean exchange.
Explain how human activity affects the carbon cycle and climate.
Humans add excess CO₂ through fossil fuels, increasing greenhouse effect and warming climate.
Explain how sunspots influence Earth’s climate.
Sunspots affect solar radiation; fewer sunspots reduce solar energy and cool Earth.
Explain how the pattern of island ages provides evidence of plate motion.
Islands get older northwest, showing the Pacific Plate moves over a stationary hotspot.