Geography Alive- Chapter 35 Antarctica: Researching Global Warming at the Coldest Place on Earth
Ice cap
A climate zone that very cold all year with permanent ice and snow.
Alpine Glacier
A glacier found in a high, cold mountain valley
Glacier
A large mass of ice found near Earth's poles.
Icebergs
A large mass of the ice floating in the ocean.
Developed Country
A wealthy country with an advanced economy. In general, developing countries are trying to increase their industries and provide a comfortable way of life for most of their people.
Fossil Fuel
Any fuel, such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas, that is made from the remains of prehistoric plants and animals.
Greenhouse Gases
Any gas, such as carbon dioxide, that helps to trap heat in Earth Atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect.
Solar Energy
Energy from the sun that can be converted into heat or electricity.
Biome
Is a very large ecosystem such as a desert, forest,wetland, or grassland.
What happens to Antarctica's small amount of solar energy?
It is reflected back into space.
Why does Antarctica get so cold?
It is the farthest continent from the equator.
Precipitation
Moisture that falls from the sky as rain, sleet, snow, or hail.
The Antarctic Treaty in 1959 made it so Antarctica was...
Reserved for peaceful activities.
Global warming could affect the Adelie penguins because an increase in snowfall would...
Ruin the bare spots they need for nesting.
Only cities and urban areas
Scientists who doubt the global warming theory argue that increasing surface temperatures come from.
Common crop failures could lead to hunger or famine.
Scientists who support the global warming theory believe that...
Natural causes.
Some scientists who doubt the global warming theory argue that Earth is warming due to.
Global Warming
The gradual increase in the temperature of the Earth's surface over time caused by human activity and/or natural causes.
What is the name of the natural process that keeps Earth warm?
The greenhouse effect
Industrial Revolution
The huge social and economic change in Europe and the United States that was produced by the shift from hand tools to machines in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Atmosphere
The layer of air that surrounds the Earth.
Burning fossil fuels
The levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are rising due mostly to people
Climate
The pattern of weather over a long period of time.
Greenhouse Effect
The process by which gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun and keep it close to Earth's surface.
What happens if Antarctica melts?
The water there would flow into the ocean and sea levels would rise causing many other problems.
Polar Desert
What Antarctica is called because it receives less than three inches of precipitation a year.
Antarctica's climate each year...
What scientists learn from drilling into glaciers in Antarctica.
Census
When researches count the number of penguins in a certain location.
Low and flat countries...
Who will be most affected by rising sea levels?
Antarctica is known for...
being the coldest continent on Earth.
