chapter 18- test 4

Stratosphere

The layer of the earth's atmosphere above the troposphere, extending to about 32 miles (50 km) above the earth's surface (the lower boundary of the mesosphere).

thermosphere

The region of the atmosphere above the mesosphere and below the height at which the atmosphere ceases to have the properties of a continuous medium. The thermosphere is characterized throughout by an increase in temperature with height.

Mesosphere

The region of the earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere, between about 30 and 50 miles (50 and 80 km) in altitude.

Troposphere

The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere and site of all weather on Earth. The troposphere is bonded on the top by a layer of air called the troposphere, which separates the troposphere from the stratosphere, and on bottom by the surface of the Earth.

What evidence of a warming earth do global land and ocean temperatures provide?

The upper 3,000 meters of land have warmed measurably since 1995, stored heat in the ocean meets the equilibrium of the atmosphere and raises the temperature of the atmosphere as well, the rise of the seal level because of thermal expansion, and the melting of glaciers and loss of land and ice.

What are the major IPCC protections for climate changes in the 21st century?

Thermohaline circulation is expected to slow down, storm intensities increase, oceans will have more acidity, and crop yields will increase in some places and decrease in others.

If climate change continues to escalate and trends unfold as predicted, which of the following cities is most likely to suffer from severe water shortages?

Tucson, Arizona

Which of the following cities is likely in the most danger if seas rise as predicted?

Wilmington, North Carolina

What does the IPCC 5th Assesment report say about sea level rise by 2100?

Without consideration of the melting of Greenland and Antartic Ice sheets, at least a half meter rise in sea level is projected. This will flood different countries, and create less food sources and more refugees.

What is representative concentration pathway? How does the +2.6 compare to the +8.5?

. Representation Concentration Pathways: scenarios representing four different sets of assumptions about the level of anthropogenic emissionsIf there is a RPC of +2.6 rather than +8.5, the temperature will only rise around 1-2 degrees rather than 6-11 degrees.

ozone layer

A colorless unstable toxic gas with a pungent odor and powerful oxidizing properties, formed from oxygen by electrical discharges or ultraviolet light. It differs from normal oxygen (O2) in having three atoms in its molecule (O3).

You are working with a team of scientists trying to save the western pine forests of the U.S. and Canada from a currently impending disaster. Which of the following are you most likely to be working with?

A virus that targets beetles.

Which of the following people is most likely to be responsible for the most greenhouse gas emissions in a year?

A woman in the U.S.

decrease plant growth- decrease sunlight, decrease h20, decrease co2 no effect on plant growth- increase c6h12o6, decrease c6h12o6 increase plant growth- increase h20, increase c02, increased sunlight

As you can see, the equation for photosynthesis has more than just carbon dioxide as an input. Photosynthesis also requires water and sunlight. In their experiment, McCarthy and her colleagues wanted to see how both water and CO2 would affect the growth of plants. Their hypothesis was as follows: Increased CO2 in the atmosphere will increase plant growth, and this increase will be greatest when there is an abundance of water. In other words, a plant would be better able to take advantage of extra CO2 if more water was available.

How are computer models employed in climate changed research? Describe several scenarios for 21st century climate change.

Computers are able to handle large amounts of atmospheric data and applying mathematical equation to model the process taking place in the atmosphere, land, and ocean. Some computer studies have compared 50 climates over the past two decades. Climatologists use computers to explore earth's climate to compare global atmospheric circulation patterns with ocean circulation. Climatologists are able to guess the potential of rising greenhouse gases.

What are three adaptation steps that could be taken to adjust to inevitable changes in climate?

Farmers shift to climate-restraint crops, societies establish a financial safety net to help their poorest members, and societies invest to reduce the costs and disruption from extreme weather events such as storms, floods, and droughts.

What is geoengineering? Give 2 examples.

Geoengineering: people who address problems associated with climate change and could be addressed by altering earth's processes. Examples: removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing it where it cannot easily enter back- Reduce the amount of solar radiation reaching earth's surface or cause the earth's surface to reflect more light.

What national efforts is the US making to address climate change?

Global Change Research Act of 1990: policy support for research on climate change; this act mandates an interagency approach where all agencies and departments that might be involved in climate change research are to coordinate their activities and programs as part of the official Global Change Research. American Clean Energy Security Act: established an emissions reduction and trading plan called cap-and-tradeAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment: invested more than 43 billion in the support of renewable energy and energy efficiency programs

What are four effects of climate change that we are already seeing in the United States?

Heat waves are reaching new intensities, droughts are increasing in frequency and intensity, and patterns of precipitation are changing.

How does the modern global climate compare with that of 400,000 and 800,000 years ago? How do we know?

How does the modern global climate compare with that of 400,000 and 800,000 years ago? How do we know?

Which of the greenhouse gases are the most significant contributors to global warming? How do they work?

How greenhouse gases affect global warming. ... The greenhouse effect, in turn, is one of the leading causes of global warming. The most significant greenhouse gases are water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Carbon Dioxide: burning of fossil fuels, from industrialized companies, 14C is a radioactive isotope of carbon that is formed in the atmosphere by the bond of nitrogen atoms by cosmic rays and decays over time into nitrogen atomsWater Vapor and clouds: absorbs infrared energy and is the most abundant greenhouse gasMethane: found in manure, landfills, and coal mines, adds to atmosphere faster than it can be broken down

What is the Kyoto Protocol? What happened in Copenhagen? In Bali? What is the climate emission gap?

Kyoto Protocol: 38 industrial and former Eastern Bloc nations agreed to reduce emissions of six greenhouses gases to 5.2% and to be achieved by 2012; later extended until 2020.Copenhagen: 187 countries committed to setting emissions targets in the Copenhagen Accord. Amis at ensuring that emissions reductions will meet the goal of keeping global temperatures rise below 2 degrees Celsius. Climate Emissions Gap: At a Durban meeting, the United Nations Environment Program released a report that showed that the pledges of countries under the Copenhagen Accord were falling short of their target.

What are three mitigation steps that could be taken to stabilize the greenhouse gas content of the atmosphere?

Levy a tax on all fuels according to the amount of CO2 they produce when consumed, encourage the development of nuclear power, and stop the loss of tropical forests and promote the planting of trees.

What are the main components of our weather, and how is weather related to climate?

Main components of weather are temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, and cloudiness. Climate and weather both describe atmospheric conditions.

what is ensue and how does it affect climate

Meridonal Overturning Circulation: the pattern where thermolhaline refers to the effects that temperature and salinity have on the density of seawater. Is a giant, complex conveyor belt, moving water masses from the surface to deep oceans and back again. ENSO: major shifts in atmospheric pressure over the central equatorial Pacific Ocean lead to a reversal of the trade winds, El Ninos tend to encourage warming, El ninas encourage colder weather; these reversals dominate the weather over much of the planet and their effects can last for a year or two.

If the planet continues to warm as predicted, which of the following will happen?

More evaporation from the ocean's surface.

What is radiative forcing? Describe some warming and cooling forcing agents.

Radiative Forcing (RF) is the measurement of the capacity of a gas or other forcing agents to affect that energy balance, thereby contributing to climate change. ... Positive radiative forcing results in an increase in Earth's energy budget and ultimately leads to warming. Radiative Forcing: is the influence that a factor has on the energy balance of the atmosphere-ocean-land systemCooling Force Agents: clouds reflect radiation into space causing albedo, aerosols that cancel out some of the warming from greenhouse gases, and the cryosphere (ice) reflects sunlight. Warming Force agents: greenhouse gases such as water vapor and CO2 that reflect light energy

Give three ethical principles that can be brought to bear on "the perfect moral storm"?

The Equity Principle, The Precautionary Principle, and the Polluter Pays Principle

How has global mean temperature changed since the mid-1800s?

The global average and combined land and ocean surface temperature, show a warming of 0.85 [0.65 to 1.06] °C, in the period 1880 to 2012, based on multiple independently produced datasets. This gives a trend of 0.064 ± 0.015 °C per decade over that period. 3. The global mean temperature was slightly belowv0 degree Fahrenheit while presents the average is slightly above 1.8 degrees F.

Does pressure increase higher or lower the altitude?

The higher the altitude the higher the pressure.

Describe the data for atmospheric CO2. What are significant sources and sinks for atmospheric CO2? Why is CO2 called "the atmosphere's control knob"?

harles Keeling began measuring CO2 levels on Mauna Loa, Hawaii and they reveal an increase until the energy crisis in the 70's. Oscillation happens depending on the season and the rate of photosynthesis. CO2 is considered the atmosphere's control knob because it impacts climate, temperature, ecosystems, and plants and animals. Without the stability of these noncondensing greenhouse gases, the water vapor and clouds could not maintain our current greenhouse conditions.

Which of these would NOT contribute to a global increase in temperature?

planting trees Trees remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they release into the atmosphere. By removing carbon dioxide, they reduce the greenhouse effect and this would contribute to a reduction in global temperature.

Switching from fossil fuels to _____ energy would significantly decrease the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

solar, nuclear, and geothermal All of these energy sources would decrease the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, the use of nuclear reactors is associated with other problems.

In the United States, summers are warmer than winters because

the sun's rays shine more directly onto these regions in summer.