Download Climate Change Review Package

Climate Change Unit Review
8.1 Weather & Climate (p. 319-321) and 8.1 Classifying Climate (p.322-324)
1. What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is day to day changes in temp, ppt. wind etc. Climate is environmental
conditions averaged over many years.
2. Name 3 main components of earth that influence weather.
Atmosphere, the land forms and water (oceans, etc.)
3.
Which country would you expect to have a warmer climate; Guatemala or Nunavut?
Explain
Guatemala - it is closer to the equator
4.
Why is climate colder at higher latitudes?
- the surface receives less direct rays from the Sun ( less vertical)
8.3 Earth’s Energy Balance, Transfer of Energy (pp. 325-329)
Vocabulary and concepts: Electromagnetic spectrum, radiation, conduction, convection,
albedo, heat sink, heat capacity
1.
a)
b)
c)
d)
The transfer of energy in the form of waves without the need for a medium is called
convection and advection
radiation
conduction
conversion
2.
a)
b)
c)
d)
The earth absorbs energy from the sun and re-emits into space in the form of
ultraviolet radiation
gamma rays
infrared radiation
x-rays
3. Draw 2 diagrams to explain how energy is transferred through conduction and through
convection. For each of these methods of energy transfer, explain what substances they take
place in.
Conduction:
Convection:
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4. Which of the following objects would possess the highest albedo?
a) a sheet of aluminum foil
b) dirty snow
c) asphalt
d) a deep, dark blue lake
5. Which of the following objects would be the best heat sink (most effective at absorbing
energy)?
a) a shallow sandy beach
b) concrete
c) deep, dark blue ocean water
d) dark rich soil
5. Which of the following statements is false?
a) Most of the energy from the sun is immediately reflected off the atmosphere.
b) The earth’s absorption of energy from the sun is necessary to maintain temperatures
on earth suitable for life.
c) Water has a high heat capacity, meaning that it can absorb a lot of energy before its
temperature increases.
d) Visible light is only a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
8.4 The Atmosphere (pp. 330-335)
1. Name the 2 most abundant gases in the earth’s atmosphere and the approximate
percentages of each. Name 1 other gas in the atmosphere.
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon
2. In the following table of the 6 reasons why life as we know it would not be possible
without the atmosphere, fill in the spaces with the appropriate term or a brief
explanation.
Process or terms
Oxygen, nitrogen,
carbon dioxide
Explanation
Provides oxygen for animals, carbon dioxide for
plants and nitrogen for all living things
Ozone
Layer of gas that filters out harmful ultraviolet radiation
Water cycle
A way that the climate system moves energy from
one place to another.
Cools surroundings.
Natural
Greenhouse Effect
Keeps temp on the planet moderate.
Solar Energy
Provides energy and heat to the planet
3. Matching (Write down only the letter corresponding to the best answer.)
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TERM
Troposphere
ANSWER
d
Stratosphere
e
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
(or Ionosphere)
Exosphere
a
b
c
DESCRIPTION
a) means “middle”, extends from about 50 to 80 km above
sea level
b) electrically charged particles (“ions”) in this layer,
producing auroras
c) outermost layer, considered space
d) most of the atmosphere’s moisture is contained here,
responsible for most of our weather systems
e) contains higher concentrations of ozone than the others
4. In the 1970’s, scientists noticed that the ozone layer over Antarctica was thinning. In
the 1990’s, a similar hole began to form over the Arctic. Ozone depletion in the
stratosphere is caused by what man-made chemicals?
CFCs - chlorofluorocarbons
5. Make a simple sketch of the water cycle. Be sure to include and label the following:
transpiration, evaporation, sublimation, precipitation, ground water and surface runoff
8.6 The Greenhouse Effect (pp. 338-343)
Vocabulary and concepts: Greenhouse Effect, Greenhouse Gases (GHG’s), Carbon sinks,
Insolation, Anthropogenic
1. Explain what is meant by the term “the natural greenhouse effect.”
Sunlight brings energy into the climate system; most of it is absorbed by the oceans
and land. Heat (infrared energy) radiates outward from the warmed surface of the
Earth. Some of the infrared energy is absorbed by greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere, which re-emit the energy in all directions. Some of the infrared energy
further warms the Earth. Some of the infrared energy is emitted into space
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2. Identify two (2) major greenhouse gases, and three (3) minor greenhouse gases.
Major: Carbon dioxide, water vapor
Minor: methane, ozone, nitrous oxide
3. Study the word “insolation” and explain why it stands for incoming solar radiation.
Insolation: incoming solar radiation
8.9 Long and Short Term changes in climate (pgs. 348-352)
1. What causes the earth to cycle through periods of ice ages and interglacial periods?
Shape of earth’s orbit, tilt and wobble
2. List 2 phenomena that contribute to short term changes in climate.
Volcanoes, El Nino
8.10 Feedback Loops and Climate (pgs. 355-357)
1. If the polar ice caps began to melt, replacing the earth’s snow cover with open water,
how would this affect the overall albedo of the earth? What possible effect might this
have on global climate?
It would decrease earth’s albedo
Global temp could increase.
2. Construct a positive feedback loop from the following
statements
Global temp warm
-
Global temperatures warm
Temperature of sea surface rises
Less movement of nutrients from deep ocean
More carbon dioxide is released
Decreased phytoplankton growth
Temp of sea increases
More carbon dioxide released
Less movement of nutrients
9.1 Evidence of Climate Change (pgs. 373-378)
1. List 5 pieces of evidence that the global climate is changing.
Decreased phytoplankton
growth
Sea level rise, changes in severe weather, changes in precipitation, rising
temperatures, melting polar ice and glaciers
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2. List 3 methods/techniques that scientists use to study climate change.
- tree rings, fossils, ice cores
9.4-9.5 Greenhouse Gases (pgs.384-392)
1. What are the principal anthropogenic GHG and their sources?
Carbon dioxide (fossil fuel burning), methane (agricultural sources, landfills
and sewage treatment), nitrous oxide (livestock feed and waste management),
CFCs (refrigeration agents)
2. Why is this process also called the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect?
Higher concentrations of CO2 and other "greenhouse" gases trap more infrared energy
in the atmosphere than occurs naturally. The additional heat further warms the
atmosphere and Earth’s surface.
3. Why is CO2 of more concern when compared to water vapour (another GHG)?
Carbon dioxide makes up a higher percentage of the atmospheric concentrations of
gases.
4. Use the following graph, illustrating the concentration of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere over the past 2000 years, to help identify what might have accounted for
the sudden increase in concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
In the late 1800s, the Industrial Revolution occurred. Western nations started burning
fossil fuels at a much higher rate.
9.6, 10.1 Modelling Climate Change (pgs. 393-395, 407-409)
1. Explain how scientists use scenarios to make climate projections, such as the ones shown
here.
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To make climate projections, scientists must first create scenarios based on possible
human behaviour. Next, they determine the amount of greenhouse gases that would be
produced under each scenario. Finally, they input these values into climate models to
calculate how Earth’s climate would change under those conditions.
10.2, 10.3 Impacts of Climate Change (pgs. 412-422)
1. How will changes in the Arctic affect the rest of the world?
Climate change in the arctic will have major impacts for the rest of the world.
 Less Albedo on the earth due to melting ice
 Release of carbon dioxide from permafrost
 Sea level rise
 May disrupt ocean currents
 Negative effect on migratory patterns
2. Explain why the melting of permafrost may start another positive feedback loop.
 If large amounts of carbon dioxide and methane are released from
permafrost by melting permafrost, then the greenhouse effect will be
further enhanced.
3. Give two positive impacts and four negative impacts of climate change in Ontario.
Positive: less extremely cold days, heating costs may go down
Negative: - Less water in Great lakes (water shortages)
-Loss of biodiversity and increase in species extinction
- Increase in human diseases
- Loss of crops due to changing seasons and pests
- Forests could become less healthy, and switch from carbon sinks to
carbon sources.
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4. List the key projected global impacts of climate change in specific areas around the
world.
a. North America
- more forest fires, diseases and pests, heat waves and
coastal flooding
b. Arctic, Greenland, Antarctic
- polar ice melting, loss of habitat for species
c. Europe
- melting glaciers, flooding
d. Asia
- melting glaciers, flooding, water-borne illnesses
e. Australia and New Zealand
- water shortages, ecosystem losses
f.
Africa
- loss of crops, water shortages, land could become
desert
g. Latin America
- extinction of species, flooding, loss of crops
10.4, 10.5 Taking Action (pgs. 423-432)
The following graph shows the major sources of personal greenhouse gas emissions in
Canada. How can individuals make a large impact on the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions?
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