Contributions of Scientists to Climate Change

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Questions and Answers

What role did volcanic eruptions play in the theory regarding past ice ages?

They contributed to cooling the Earth by releasing gases trapping heat. (correct)

They had no significant impact on past climate changes.

They were believed to alter ocean currents that led to ice age formations.

They increased global temperatures by releasing particulate matter.

Which gas was specifically mentioned as being released from volcanic eruptions that influences climate?

Carbon dioxide (correct)

Sulfur dioxide

Carbon monoxide

Methane

What connection between human activity and climate change was established by the scientist's theory?

The release of greenhouse gases from human activity contributes to warming the Earth. (correct)

Increased volcanic activity led to extreme global cooling.

Human activity has negligible effects on the global climate.

Human burning of fossil fuels reduced atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

In what decade was the theory regarding the cause of past ice ages proposed?

1890s Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary effect of reducing gases like carbon dioxide as theorized by the scientist?

It cooled the Earth. Signup and view all the answers

What year did Svante Arrhenius begin his studies in physics at the University of Uppsala?

1869 Signup and view all the answers

What profession did Svante Arrhenius hold after his studies?

Professor of Physics Signup and view all the answers

Which nationality did Svante Arrhenius identify with?

Swedish Signup and view all the answers

In what area did Svante Arrhenius establish his academic career?

Physics Signup and view all the answers

What was the full name of the university where Svante Arrhenius studied?

University of Uppsala Signup and view all the answers

What major system did Annie Jump Cannon develop that laid the groundwork for stellar classification?

Harvard Spectral Classification system Signup and view all the answers

Which achievement is Henrietta Swan Leavitt famous for in the field of astronomy?

Observing regular brightness patterns in Cepheid variable stars Signup and view all the answers

What significant discovery did Harriet Brooks make that transformed nuclear physics?

The transformation of elements through nuclear decay Signup and view all the answers

Srinivasa Ramanujan is best known for his contributions to which areas of mathematics?

Mathematical analysis and number theory Signup and view all the answers

Erwin Schrödinger's wave equation greatly impacted the understanding of which phenomenon?

Quantum mechanics Signup and view all the answers

What key contribution did Ronald Fisher make to the field of genetics?

Developed statistical methods reconciling Darwin and Mendel's theories Signup and view all the answers

What was the main purpose of the experiment conducted by Harold Urey and Stanley Miller?

To simulate early Earth conditions and investigate the origin of life Signup and view all the answers

Which was a limitation of the work described regarding the scientists' contributions?

Absence of detailed methodology or specific findings Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Scientists and their Contribution to Climate Change

A scientist at the University of Stockholm, in the 1890s, theorized that past ice ages might have been caused by fewer volcanic eruptions releasing gases, like carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere.
These gases trap heat, and reducing them would cool the Earth significantly.
This theory established a connection between human activity and rising global temperatures, laying the groundwork for modern climate change concerns.

Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941)

American astronomer who specialized in stellar spectra.
Worked at the Harvard College Observatory for over 44 years.
Classified over 350,000 stars using her 1901 system, a foundation for the Harvard Spectral Classification system.

Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1868-1921)

Studied at Radcliffe College and the Harvard College Observatory.
Observed a consistent pattern in the brightness of Cepheid variable stars, a crucial tool for measuring distances to other galaxies.
Discovered more than 2,400 variable stars and four novae.

Harriet Brooks (1876-1933)

First female nuclear physicist in Canada.
Graduated from McGill University and studied under J.J. Thomson and Ernest Rutherford.
Worked in Marie Curie's laboratory, discovering that one element can transform into another element through nuclear decay.

Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920)

Indian mathematician who made groundbreaking contributions to mathematical analysis and number theory.
Had minimal formal training, but excelled in mathematics and sent theorems and ideas directly to G.H.Hardy in Cambridge, England
Was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in 1916 and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Suffered from tuberculosis and returned to India, passing away in 1920.

Erwin Schrödinger (1887-1961)

Austrian physicist who studied physics at the University of Vienna and the University of Zurich.
Developed a groundbreaking wave equation that revolutionized the understanding of quantum physics.
Proved that atomic electrons are "clouds" of probability rather than fixed orbits, changing our perception of atomic structure.

Ronald Fisher (1890-1962)

British statistician and geneticist who pioneered the application of statistics to scientific experimentation.
Reconciled the apparent inconsistencies between Charles Darwin's ideas on natural selection and Gregor Mendel's experiments on inheritance using statistical methods.
Published a paper in 1918 outlining the use of statistical tools.

Harold Urey and Stanley Miller (1893-1981; 1930-2007)

American chemists who recreated early Earth conditions in a laboratory to study the origin of life.
Simulated early Earth environments with electrical sparks to mimic lightning.
Experimentally produced important organic molecules (carbon-based compounds) from simple inorganic precursors (hydrogen, methane, and ammonia).

Svante Arrhenius (1859-1927)

Studied physics at the University of Uppsala in Sweden.
Became a professor of physics.

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Explore the significant contributions of scientists such as the theorist from the University of Stockholm, Annie Jump Cannon, and Henrietta Swan Leavitt to our understanding of climate change and stellar classification. This quiz delves into their groundbreaking work and theories that laid the foundation for modern scientific thought on these important topics.