All Flashcards
What are the effects of melting ice and snow?
Habitat loss for polar animals, thawing permafrost releases methane, rising sea levels cause coastal flooding, and disruption of marine ecosystems.
What is the effect of rising sea levels?
Flooding in coastal areas, loss of coastal habitats, increased erosion, saltwater intrusion into freshwater sources, and displacement of human populations.
What is the effect of thawing permafrost?
Release of methane (a potent greenhouse gas), further accelerating climate change, destabilization of infrastructure built on permafrost, and changes to local ecosystems.
Why are ice cores important?
They provide historical climate data, including past CO2 levels and temperatures, allowing scientists to understand long-term climate trends.
Explain natural heat distribution.
The process by which warm air and water move from the equator towards the poles, while cool air and water return to the equator, balancing Earth's temperature.
What is the significance of melting ice?
It reduces Earth's albedo, accelerates warming via positive feedback loops, destroys habitats, and contributes to sea-level rise.
How do computer models help with climate change?
Scientists use computer models to predict future warming based on different CO2 emission scenarios and understand potential impacts.
Why are the poles important in climate change?
The poles are highly sensitive to climate change, and changes there (like melting ice) have global implications due to feedback loops and sea-level rise.
Explain the correlation of CO2 and temperature.
High CO2 levels in ice cores correlate with warmer climates, indicating a strong relationship between atmospheric CO2 and global temperature.
How does melting ice create a positive feedback loop?
Melting ice reduces Earth's albedo, causing more solar radiation to be absorbed, leading to further warming and more melting.
What is the significance of ice core data?
Provides historical records of atmospheric gases (CO2, methane) and temperatures, helping us understand past climate conditions and predict future changes.
Explain natural heat distribution.
The process by which warm air and water move from the equator towards the poles, while cool air and water return to the equator, driven by atmospheric and oceanic circulation.
What is the role of the poles in climate change?
They act as sensitive indicators of climate change, with melting ice triggering positive feedback loops that accelerate warming globally.
Describe the greenhouse effect.
The trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface.