Global Warming and Climate Change

Global Warming and Climate Change

• Global warming and climate change are interconnected phenomena.
• Global warming refers specifically to the increasing average global temperature.
• Climate change encompasses a broader range of effects, including changes in precipitation patterns, sea levels, and extreme weather events, all driven by global warming.

Temperature Proxies and Stable Isotopes

• Temperature proxies are natural archives revealing past temperature information.
• Stable isotopes in ice cores, tree rings, and sediments act as temperature proxies.
• Analyzing these isotopes helps reconstruct historical temperature patterns.

Greenhouse Effect & Greenhouse Gases

• The greenhouse effect is a natural process warming the Earth.
• Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to a warmer planet.
• Examples of greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water vapor.

Climate vs. Weather

• Climate describes long-term atmospheric conditions over decades or more.
• Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions like temperature, precipitation, and wind.

Fossil Fuels

• Fossil fuels are carbon-based fuels formed from the remains of ancient organisms.
• Examples include coal, oil, and natural gas.
• Burning fossil fuels is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources

• Alternative and renewable energy sources provide sustainable energy generation.
• Renewable sources include solar, geothermal, wind, tidal/wave, and biofuel energy.
• These sources produce little to no greenhouse gas emissions when used.

Nuclear Energy

• Nuclear energy is generated from nuclear reactions.
• Nuclear power plants produce electricity without directly emitting carbon dioxide.
• Considerations include nuclear waste disposal and safety.

Carbon Cycles

• The carbon cycle describes carbon's movement through the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land.
• Sources include fossil fuel burning and decomposition.
• Sinks/reservoirs include forests, oceans, and soil.
• Fluxes/flows describe carbon movement between these reservoirs.

Solar Energy

• Solar energy is derived from the sun's radiation.
• Solar energy can be harnessed using photovoltaic cells or concentrated solar power.

Decomposition and Combustion

• Decomposition is the breakdown of organic matter.
• Decomposition releases carbon into the atmosphere.
• Combustion, or burning, involves combining a substance with oxygen to produce energy.
• Burning fossil fuels is a major source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Ice Cores

• Ice cores extracted from glaciers and ice sheets provide a record of past climates.
• Ice cores contain trapped air bubbles, allowing scientists to analyze past atmospheric compositions.

Ice Ages & Milankovitch Cycles

• Ice ages are periods in Earth's history characterized by significant ice sheets.
• Milankovitch cycles describe variations in Earth's orbit and tilt affecting solar radiation received, potentially triggering ice ages.

Global Warming Potential (GWP)

• Global Warming Potential (GWP) measures how much a greenhouse gas warms the Earth over a specific time period relative to carbon dioxide.

Albedo

• Albedo is a surface's reflectivity.
• Light-colored surfaces have higher albedo (reflecting more sunlight). Darker surfaces have lower albedo.

Carbon Capture/Sequestration

• Carbon capture and sequestration technologies aim to capture CO2 emissions and store them.
• This helps reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

Carbon Cap-and-Trade

• Carbon cap-and-trade is a policy mechanism controlling greenhouse gases.
• A cap limits total emissions, and allowances are traded in a market.

This quiz explores the key concepts surrounding global warming and climate change, including temperature proxies and the greenhouse effect. You'll learn how these phenomenon are interrelated and the role of greenhouse gases. Test your knowledge of climate science and its impacts on our planet.