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Questions and Answers
Which of the following practices can help decrease carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?
Which of the following practices can help decrease carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere?
What is the likely effect of adding more than 60 kg of fertilizer per hectare on wheat yield?
What is the likely effect of adding more than 60 kg of fertilizer per hectare on wheat yield?
Which factor does NOT affect the growth of seaweed according to the content?
Which factor does NOT affect the growth of seaweed according to the content?
What role do nitrates play in the growth of wheat plants?
What role do nitrates play in the growth of wheat plants?
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Why should we stop deforestation as a measure against climate change?
Why should we stop deforestation as a measure against climate change?
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How does reducing air travel relate to carbon dioxide emissions?
How does reducing air travel relate to carbon dioxide emissions?
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Which condition is likely to influence the concentration of nitrates in the soil?
Which condition is likely to influence the concentration of nitrates in the soil?
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What is a direct outcome of respiration and combustion processes in relation to climate change?
What is a direct outcome of respiration and combustion processes in relation to climate change?
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What size of a comet is likely to cause a mass extinction event?
What size of a comet is likely to cause a mass extinction event?
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Which factor contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago?
Which factor contributed to the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago?
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What is the term for the complete loss of a very large number of species?
What is the term for the complete loss of a very large number of species?
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What was one consequence of the asteroid collision 67 million years ago that affected plant survival?
What was one consequence of the asteroid collision 67 million years ago that affected plant survival?
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Which of the following does NOT describe a meteoroid?
Which of the following does NOT describe a meteoroid?
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Which effect did the asteroid's challenge create for terrestrial animals after collision?
Which effect did the asteroid's challenge create for terrestrial animals after collision?
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How has the climate been described over the last 2000 years?
How has the climate been described over the last 2000 years?
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What is a meteorite?
What is a meteorite?
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What is the primary cause of the increase in mean temperatures on Earth?
What is the primary cause of the increase in mean temperatures on Earth?
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How does carbon dioxide affect the Earth's temperature?
How does carbon dioxide affect the Earth's temperature?
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What significant temperature change occurred between 1880 and 1910?
What significant temperature change occurred between 1880 and 1910?
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What was the temperature increase from 1910 to 2016?
What was the temperature increase from 1910 to 2016?
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What aspect of climate helps people decide which crops to grow?
What aspect of climate helps people decide which crops to grow?
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How much higher was the mean temperature in 2016 compared to 1880?
How much higher was the mean temperature in 2016 compared to 1880?
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Which statement accurately describes the Y-axis of the temperature graph?
Which statement accurately describes the Y-axis of the temperature graph?
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What is a potential consequence of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
What is a potential consequence of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
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What has been observed as a consequence of higher temperatures in the atmosphere?
What has been observed as a consequence of higher temperatures in the atmosphere?
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What major storm impacted the east coast of southern Africa in 2019?
What major storm impacted the east coast of southern Africa in 2019?
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How does climate change affect rainfall patterns?
How does climate change affect rainfall patterns?
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Which of the following is a potential impact of severe monsoon rains?
Which of the following is a potential impact of severe monsoon rains?
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What challenge do farmers face due to climate change-related rainfall changes?
What challenge do farmers face due to climate change-related rainfall changes?
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Why is it difficult to attribute specific storms directly to climate change?
Why is it difficult to attribute specific storms directly to climate change?
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What is one of the effects of more extreme weather events?
What is one of the effects of more extreme weather events?
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What was one consequence of the monsoon rains in 2019 in South Asia?
What was one consequence of the monsoon rains in 2019 in South Asia?
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What role does magnesium play in plants?
What role does magnesium play in plants?
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What consequence does increased dust in the atmosphere have on ecosystems?
What consequence does increased dust in the atmosphere have on ecosystems?
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How much has sea level risen since 1880?
How much has sea level risen since 1880?
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What pattern was observed regarding sea ice between 2017 and 2018?
What pattern was observed regarding sea ice between 2017 and 2018?
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What correlation is suggested regarding fossil fuel burning?
What correlation is suggested regarding fossil fuel burning?
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What seasonal pattern affects carbon dioxide levels in the northern hemisphere?
What seasonal pattern affects carbon dioxide levels in the northern hemisphere?
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Why might the data collected for sea ice extent from 2017-2018 be considered inconclusive?
Why might the data collected for sea ice extent from 2017-2018 be considered inconclusive?
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What immediate impacts are expected from a significant environmental disturbance?
What immediate impacts are expected from a significant environmental disturbance?
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Study Notes
Asteroid Impacts and Mass Extinctions
- An asteroid impact with an energy of more than 100 million megatons (comet 10 km or larger) causes mass extinction.
- The dinosaur extinction 65 million years ago is an example of such an event.
Asteroids and Related Terms
- An asteroid is a rock smaller than a planet orbiting the Sun.
- Slush is partly melted snow.
- Mass extinction is the complete loss of a large number of species.
- Meteoroids are space objects smaller than asteroids.
- Meteors are meteoroids traveling through Earth's atmosphere.
- Meteorites are meteor parts reaching Earth's surface.
Asteroid Collision Effects (67 Million Years Ago)
- Intense heat killed nearby plants and animals.
- A massive tsunami inundated coastal areas, killing life.
- Atmospheric dust blocked sunlight, hindering photosynthesis and causing widespread death.
Climate Change: Past and Present
- Earth's climate was relatively stable for the past 2000 years.
- Current climate change involves rising mean global temperatures due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas trapping heat near the Earth's surface.
Temperature Change (1880-2016)
- Between 1880 and 1910, the mean temperature fell by 0.3°C.
- Between 1910 and 2016, it rose by 1.6°C.
- In 2016, the mean temperature was 1.3°C higher than in 1880.
Impacts of Climate Change
- Higher atmospheric energy increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (hurricanes, typhoons).
- Tropical Cyclone Idai (2019) in southern Africa exemplifies the devastating impact of such events, killing over 1300 people. While a direct link to climate change can't be definitively established, the trend suggests increasing frequency and violence of such storms.
- Rainfall patterns are becoming less predictable, impacting crop production. Delayed, absent, or excessive rainfall disrupts agriculture. The 2019 monsoon rains in South Asia illustrate this point.
Addressing Climate Change
- Respiration and combustion increase atmospheric carbon dioxide; photosynthesis decreases it.
- Solutions include: planting more trees, stopping deforestation, reducing fossil fuel use, conserving energy, consuming less meat, and reducing air travel.
Sea Level and Sea Ice
- Sea level is rising, with a 230 mm increase since 1880.
- Sea ice extent was smaller in 2017-2018 compared to the period 1979-2016, with later appearance and earlier disappearance. More data is needed to confirm if this is a trend or an anomaly.
Carbon Dioxide Concentration
- Increased burning of fossil fuels correlates with rising carbon dioxide concentrations.
- Seasonal variations in carbon dioxide levels relate to the photosynthetic activity of plants in the northern hemisphere (higher in summer, lower in winter).
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Description
Explore the significant effects of asteroid impacts on mass extinctions, particularly focusing on the event that led to the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Understand key terms such as asteroids, meteoroids, and the catastrophic consequences of such cosmic collisions on Earth's ecosystems.
