Climate change

Climate change

7.4

I can:

• identify and describe the existence of different global climate zones.

  
  

• explain the natural and human activities that have led to changes in climate over time.

  
  

• evaluate scientific data and current global climate models to forecast Earth’s future climates.

Climate change

• Some of the gases in our atmosphere act like a big greenhouse. irst, they let in the sun’s rays.

• When the Sun's rays get to the ground, some are absorbed as heat. More heat bounces off the land and water and heads back toward outer space.

• If it runs into a greenhouse gas on the way, the heat is trapped. It can’t escape into space, so it stays in the atmosphere and warms up the planet.

Global warming

• Global warming is happening because carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are building up in the lower part of the atmosphere.

• The ozone layer is in the upper atmosphere. When gases called chlorofluorocarbons reach this layer, they attack the ozone and destroy it.

Global warming is the increase in the Earth’s average temperature caused by extra greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Climate change includes rising temperature due to global warming, and other long-term changes in our climate that may come with it.

Impacts

• Warmer air means warmer oceans. Warmer oceans make stronger hurricanes.

• Less rain is predicted for some areas. That could lead to droughts, which would mean less water for people to drink and to grow food.

• Drier conditions can also lead to more forest fires.

• Melting glaciers and warmer water could raise sea level, flooding coasts. Wildlife that is adapted to a certain habitat may not be able to survive as the habitat changes.

Multiple Choice

The main human activity that releases greenhouse gases is

• using public transportation and there by reduce the affects of greenhouse gases.

• texting on cellphones

• burning fossil fuels

• eating meat

Multiple Choice

What is the greenhouse effect?

• The warming of a planet due to trapped radiation.

• The heating of a solid, such as a rock.

• The cooling of Earth due to air pollution.

Multiple Choice

What gas from the list below is a cause for global warming?

• Urethane

• Oxygen

• Carbon Dioxide

Multiple Choice

What do scientists think the effect will be of having more greenhouse gases in our atmosphere?

• More warming of the atmosphere

• More air in the atmosphere

• More cooling of the atmosphere

• Less air in the atmosphere

Multiple Choice

T/F: Water vapor is a greenhouse gas

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

T/F: Some greenhouse gases are naturally present in the Earth's atmosphere

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is an example of a greenhouse gas?

• Carbon Dioxide

• Oxygen

• Nitrogen

• Neon

Multiple Choice

Increased carbon dioxide may cause global warming by trapping more ____________ in the atmosphere.

• heat

• water

• argon

Multiple Choice

What are greenhouse gases?

• gases that cause climate change

• gases that emit green smoke

• gases that are used to make green colored glass

Multiple Choice

Which of the following have been linked to climate change?

• droughts

• melting of polar ice caps

• flooding

• all of the above