All Flashcards
What is the significance of the Greenhouse Effect?
It's a natural process essential for maintaining Earth's temperature, but increased GHGs enhance it, leading to global warming.
How does climate differ from weather?
Climate is long-term average weather patterns, while weather is short-term atmospheric conditions.
What is the role of the IPCC?
To assess climate change science, impacts, and risks, providing data and reports for policymakers.
Why is methane a concern?
It's a potent greenhouse gas, more effective at trapping heat than CO2 over a shorter timeframe.
How does deforestation contribute to climate change?
It reduces carbon sinks, releasing stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Why is ocean acidification harmful?
It impacts marine organisms with shells and skeletons, disrupting marine ecosystems.
What causes rising sea levels?
Melting glaciers/ice sheets and thermal expansion of water.
How does climate change affect disease vectors?
Warmer temperatures expand their range, increasing the spread of diseases.
What role does water vapor play in the greenhouse effect?
It acts as a feedback gas; increasing temperatures lead to more water vapor, further enhancing the greenhouse effect.
Why are wildfires a concern in the context of climate change?
They release large amounts of stored carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to increased greenhouse gas concentrations.
What are the steps of ocean acidification?
Increased atmospheric CO2, CO2 absorbed by oceans, formation of carbonic acid, lowering of ocean pH.
Describe the process of the Greenhouse Effect.
Solar radiation enters atmosphere, some radiation is reflected, some is absorbed and re-emitted as infrared radiation, GHGs trap some infrared radiation, warming the Earth.
How does thermal expansion contribute to rising sea levels?
Warmer water temperature, increased molecular motion, expansion of water volume, rise in sea level.
Describe how melting glaciers contribute to rising sea levels.
Increased global temperatures, melting of glaciers and ice sheets, increased water volume in oceans, rise in sea level.
Explain the process of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion.
Extraction of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), burning of fossil fuels for energy, release of CO2 into the atmosphere, increased greenhouse effect.
What are the steps involved in the spread of disease vectors due to climate change?
Increased global temperatures, expansion of vector habitats, increased vector populations, increased disease transmission.
Explain the process of methane production in landfills.
Organic waste in landfills, anaerobic decomposition by bacteria, production of methane gas, release of methane into the atmosphere.
Describe the process of nitrous oxide release from agricultural fertilizers.
Application of nitrogen-based fertilizers, conversion of nitrogen by soil microbes, release of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, increased greenhouse effect.
Explain the process of carbon sequestration in forests.
Trees absorb CO2 from atmosphere, CO2 is converted into biomass through photosynthesis, carbon is stored in trees and soil, carbon is released when trees decompose or burn.
Describe the process of climate change impact on biodiversity.
Changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, habitat alteration and loss, species displacement or extinction, disruption of ecosystems and food chains.
Define Climate.
Long-term (30+ years) weather patterns, including temperature and precipitation averages.
Define Weather.
Short-term atmospheric conditions.
Define Greenhouse Effect.
A natural process where gases in the troposphere trap thermal energy, keeping Earth warm enough to support life.
Define Greenhouse Gases (GHGs).
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.
Define Ocean Acidification.
The process where increased CO2 in the atmosphere is absorbed by oceans, forming carbonic acid and lowering ocean pH.
What is a disease vector?
An organism that transmits diseases (e.g., mosquitoes, ticks).
What is thermal expansion?
The increase in volume of a substance (like water) due to an increase in its temperature.
Define IPCC.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: A group of scientists assessing climate change science, impacts, and risks.
Define deforestation.
The clearing of forests for other land uses.
Define cellular respiration.
The process by which cells break down glucose to release energy, producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.