Climate Change

Brainstorm!

 What is Climate Change or Global Warming?

 What are the causes and effects?

Climate

 The long term weather pattern in a certain region

What is happening to Earth’s climate?

 Earth’s overall temperature is increasing  Called Global Warming  Global Warming is a natural and necessary process!

 Without it, there would be no life on Earth

Global Warming is Necessary

 Without natural Global Warming, the Earth would be -18ºC (0ºF) instead of 15ºC (59ºF).

 The problem is that human activity is increasing global warming at a faster than usual rate  called Anthropogenic global warming  Anthropogenic = caused by humans

Greenhouse Effect

 Process of Earth’s atmosphere absorbing radiation and trapping heat  Gases in the atmosphere called Greenhouse Gases trap the heat  Ex: CO 2 , Methane (CH vapor, Ozone (O 3 ) 4 ), Nitrous Oxides (NO), Water

Atmosphere

 = layer of gases surrounding the planet  Very important for life on Earth  Protects us from much of the sun’s radiation (ozone layer)  Traps heat from the Earth at night to keep us from freezing at night

Not Nuclear Radiation…

Greenhouse Effect

1.

Sun releases Ultra-violet radiation  Some radiation passes through the atmosphere to Earth. Earth is warmed.

 Some radiation is reflected back into outer space.

 Some radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases and released in all directions.

Greenhouse Effect

2.

3.

4.

Earth releases infrared radiation (heat), some of which passes through the atmosphere to space.

Some of the radiation is trapped by the greenhouse gases and sent back to warm the Earth.

Humans release more GHG is trapped on Earth’s surface.

 so more heat

Review!

MONDAY 4/4

Explain the greenhouse effect.

Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat that is trying to escape from Earth to space. This warms the Earth.

Why is natural global warming necessary?

Keeps planet warm enough for living things to survive.

Define anthropogenic.

Caused by humans

Why is anthropogenic global warming more dangerous than natural global warming?

Because humans are putting excess greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, making it heat up at a faster than usual rate.

Define atmosphere and explain why its necessary for life.

Layer of gases around the planet. Blocks sun’s radiation & keeps us from freezing at night.

What type of radiation does the sun give off? Is it high or low energy?

Ultra-violet radiation is high energy.

What type of radiation does the Earth release? Is it high or low energy?

Infrared radiation is low energy

So what happens to the energy as it move from the sun to Earth, and is then given off by the Earth? Why does it go from high to low?

Earth absorbs some of the energy & is warmed.

Define atmosphere and explain why its necessary for life.

Layer of gases around the planet. Blocks sun’s radiation & keeps us from freezing at night.

At what two things are greenhouse gases are better than normal gases?

Absorbing heat & retaining heat (stay hot longer).

A B

What type of radiation is A?

C D

A B

What type of radiation is D?

C D

A B

Which letter would be re-radiated energy from GHG?

C D

A B

Which letter would be energy reflected to space?

C D

Name the gases based on their formulas.

CH4 CO2 N2O O3

Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, Ozone

Which GHG is released from deforestation?

CO2

Which GHG is released from fracking?

Methane

Which GHG is released from fertilizer?

NITROUS OXIDE

Which GHG is released from manure & landfills?

METHANE

Which GHG is released from refrigerators and hairspray?

CFC’S

Which GHG has the shortest residence time?

WATER VAPOR

?

Why is CO2 the largest contributor to global warming if it has the lowest heat trapping ability?

It’s the most abundant.

List the gases in order best to least heat trapping ability.

CFC’s, N2O, CH4, CO2