Download 6.1 Global Warming

6.1 Climate Change
Mrs. Page
2015-2016
Assessment Statements
• 6.1.1 Describe the role of greenhouse gases in maintaining mean
global temperature.
• 6.1.2 Describe how human activities add to greenhouse gases.
• 6.1.3 Discuss qualitatively the potential effects of increased mean
global temperature.
• 6.1.4 Discuss the feedback mechanisms that would be associated
with an increase in mean global temperature.
• 6.1.5 Describe and evaluate pollution management strategies to
address the issue of global warming.
• 6.1.6 Outline the arguments surrounding global warming.
• 6.1.7 Evaluate contrasting human perceptions of the issue of
global warming.
What are your views?
• Answer the following:
– What is global warming/climate change?
– What causes climate change?
– What evidence is there to support that idea of
climate change?
– What are the effects of climate change?
– Are there solutions? Is so what are they?
– There is a lot of debate about climate change, do
you think it is a serious threat? Defend your
answer.
What views do others have?
• Discuss your answers to the previous
questions with your table partners:
– Do you have the same viewpoints?
– What do you agree on?
– What do you disagree on?
Looking at Data
• Use the Graphs Placed Around the
Room to answer the questions on the
worksheet provided
Earth’s Atmosphere
Troposphere
• Contains 80% of atmosphere &
99% of its water vapor and
aerosols
• Where weather occurs
• Tropospheric (bad) ozone
forms here
Stratosphere
• Ozone Layer is here in lower
region (protects from UV rays)
Mesosphere
• Meteors burn up here
Natural vs. Human Induced
expressed in watts per square
meter(W/m2).
What are Greenhouse Gases &
How Do Human Contribute?
• H2O, water vapor – amount
varies by location
• CO2, carbon dioxide – about
50% of all greenhouse gases
• CH4, methane – about 16%
• N2O, nitrous oxide – about
6%
• CFC’s – about 20%
• All trap heat near Earth’s
surface
Greenhouse Gases Sorting Activity
• Read the list of human activities
• Decide which of the greenhouse gases
each activity contributes to.
• Cut and paste them into the appropriate box
Water Vapor - H2O(g)
• Most Abundant greenhouse
gas
• Positive Feedback Loop
Higher temps
More heat
trapped
More H20
Vapor in
atmosphere
Increased
evaporation
Carbon Dioxide CO2
• Burning Fossil Fuels (coal,
natural gas, petroleum) is the
single largest greenhouse
gas emission
• Deforestation is the second
largest source – burned and
decomposing trees release
CO2 to atmosphere
• Producing lime to make
cement
Methane CH4
•
•
•
•
Domesticated Animals
Human Sewage
Domesticated Animals
Rice Cultivation (paddy
farming) – in flooded fields
the bacteria and
decomposition releases CH4
• Solid domestic waste –
anaerobic
Nitrous Oxide N2O
• Natural process in the
nitrogen cycle
• Enhanced by using nitrogen
containing Fertilizers
• Can last up to 100 years in
the atmosphere
• Also produced in industrial
processes where fossil fuels
are burned at very high
temperatures
CFC’s and Halocarbons
• Problems
– Deplete the stratospheric ozone
– Remain in atmosphere for long periods of time
and act as greenhouse gas
– Absorb 10,000 x more heat than CO2
– Banned in 1987 Montreal Protocol
• Sources
–
–
–
–
–
Aerosol Sprays
Plastic foams
Coolants (AC & Fridge)
Fire Extinguishers
Cleaning Solvents
Effects of Climate Change - Biodiversity
Nest temperature determines sex of
green turtles.
An increase in droughts causes an
increase in peat fires (this year). This
increasingly fragments the natural range
of orangutans.
Frogs rely on water to breed.
Adults can die if they dry out.
Effects of Climate Change - Biodiversity
The amur leopard’s habitat has increased
by 1.5oC in the last century. Their prey
are likely to relocate if this continues.
Thawing snow increases areas
available to grow crops, but reduces
the range of snow leopards.
Northern right whales feed on
plankton. Less plankton is found
in warmer waters.
Effects of Climate Change - Biodiversity
Effects of Climate Change &
Human Health
• With an increase in global temperatures
pathogens and their vectors are more
likely to survive
– Diseases such as lyme disease (carried by
ticks), malaria, yellow fever, and dengue may
become more prevalent in new regions
Effects of Climate Change – Sea
Level Rising
• As polar ice caps melt sea levels around the world
are rising
• Coastal regions are in danger of flooding
• As Earth warms sea levels also rise due to
expansion of water
Effects of Climate Change –
Sea Level Rising
Effects of Climate Change –
Sea Level Rising
Effects of Climate Change – Loss of
Habitat
Pastoruri Glacier in the Andes
McCarty Glacier in Alaska
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_
earth/aboutcc/problems/impacts/
species/polar_bears/
Impacts of Climate Change
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/enviro
nment/global-warming/gw-impacts-interactive/
Solutions
• Reduce Greenhouse Gases by:
– Reduce use of fossil fuels – renewable energy
sources (wind, solar, geothermal)
– Reforestation
– Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – less SDW
– Legislation
•
•
•
•
Carbon tax
Carpool lanes
Mass Transit
Emissions standards
Kyoto Protocol
• 1997
• 160 nations signed – commitment to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions
• And Now Dec. 2015
• http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/01/world/eu
rope/obama-climate-conference-cop21.html
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
• Watch this animation
http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/greenho
use-effect
• Effects of Ocean Acidification
• https://youtu.be/Wo-bHt1bOsw
• NASA – All about Climate Change
• http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/