Feedback loops and global warming- case study

Earth warms, which increases evaporation of water from oceans, which adds additional water vapor to atmosphere. In this case, water vapor is a greenhouse gas.

• Positive Feedback Loop

• Negative Feedback Loop

On a hot day, people turn on their air conditions. The air conditions are run with electricity which is generated in a power plant by burning natural gas. The exhaust from the power plant is CO2. With more CO2, the atmosphere heats up more and people turn their air conditions up.

• positive feedback loop

• negative feedback loop

Earth warms and algae populations will increase. The algae will use CO2, thus depleting CO2 from the atmosphere.

• positive feedback loop

• negative feedback loop

Earth warms and water evaporates from the ocean. The moisture condenses to form clouds. The clouds reflect sunlight back into space.

• positive feedback loop

• negative feedback loop

Earth warms and glaciers and ice caps melt and dark terrestrial land is exposed. The dark land absorbs sunlight.

• positive feedback loop

• negative feedback loop

If the environment gets cold, we will often shiver in order to:

• keep body temperature the same as the external temperature

• decrease body temperature

• increase body temperature

• regulate blood pressure

The "cause" for something to happen is the

• response

• stimulus

• negative feedback

• positive feedback

Failure to maintain homeostasis in the body could result in:

• lack of internal balance

• eventual death

• difficulty carrying on metabolism

• all three

Type of feedback loop that results in the condition being brought back to normal

• positive

• negative

Type of feedback loop that results in the condition going farther away from normal

• positive

• negative