Climate Change

Question 1

Why does climate vary around the globe -5 reasons

Answer 1

-Amount of sunlight-affects the temperature
-Amount of moisture
-seasonality of the weather due to earth being tilted on its axis
-Physical features (like mountains/oceans) have regional effects on climate

• because global air circulation and ocean currents distribute heat and precipitation unevenly between the tropics and other parts of the world.

Question 2

The Earth has many different climates (Define weather + climate)

Answer 2

-Weather is a set of physical conditions such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, speed, cloud cover, and other factors in a given area for short periods of time.
-Climate is an area’s general pattern of atmospheric conditions over periods ranging from 30 to thousands of years.
-Earth’s current major climate zones and ocean currents are key components of the earth’s natural capital.

Question 3

The Three major factors determining how air circulates in the lower atmosphere

Answer 3

1. Uneven heating of earth’s surface by the sun.
2. Rotation of the earth on its axis.
3. Properties of air, water, and land.

Question 4

The earth’s surface features affect local climates because?

Answer 4

-Heat is absorbed and released more slowly by water than by land, creating land and sea breezes.
-Mountains interrupt the flow of prevailing surface winds and the movement of storms.
-High mountains create the rain shadow effect
-Cities with bricks, asphalt, and traffic create distinct microclimates – urban heat domes

Question 5

What is global warming?

Answer 5

-tied to the greenhouse effect –> Various atmospheric gases trap heat in the atmosphere (CO2, Methane, Ozone, Water Vapor)
-Global Warming = TOO MUCH is not a good thing
-long term shifts in temperature + weather patterns
-since 1800s climate change has been driven by human activity –> burning of fossil fuels creates heat trapping gasses

Question 6

Consequences of Climate Change

Answer 6

-Risk to threatened/fragile systems (loss of ecosystems such as coral reefs)
-Ice melt: loss of arctic ice/glaciers
-Sea level rise: increase tides, increased storm surge, erosion, change in salinity of estuaries
-Risk of increased severe weather
-Food security issues because of decreased water security: distribution and availability - who owns water?
-Affects the incidence of waterborne diseases