Human Effects on Climate Vocabulary

• Galaxies

Spiral Galaxies

• Spiral galaxies have stars arranged in a spiral pattern.
• Spiral galaxies look like thin disks with a bright center.
• Some have two arms of stars, while others have more arms.
• Spiral galaxies contain a black hole center.
• They are approximately 100,000 light-years wide.
• Spiral galaxies make up 60% of the galaxies in the universe.

Elliptical Galaxies

• Elliptical galaxies make up 1/3 of all galaxies.
• They have a smooth glow.
• Elliptical galaxies are formed from dense clouds.
• Stars formed quickly.
• They have the widest diameter, measured in millions of light-years.
• Elliptical galaxies contain the oldest stars from colliding galaxies.

Irregular Galaxies

• Irregular galaxies have no common structure.
• They lack a clear center.
• These galaxies are small, approximately 20,000 light-years.
• Irregular galaxies make up less than 10% of all galaxies.
• They contain young stars and are rich in clouds.
• These galaxies are deep into space.

Milky Way Galaxy

• The Milky Way contains a few hundred billion stars.
• It is approximately 100,000 light-years wide.
• It takes 100,000 years to travel from one side of the galaxy to the other.
• The Sun is approximately 55 light-years halfway to the center of the galaxy.
• The Milky Way is traveling at 828 kilometers per hour, or 650 times the speed of light.
• It takes 240 million years to orbit once around the center.

Carbon Cycle and Climate Vocabulary

• Greenhouse effect refers to the warming of air.
• This is due to gasses that cause less heat to be reflected than absorbed.

Carbon Cycle

• Carbon is the 4th most abundant element.
• Carbon exists in non-living substances.
• Natural processes cause carbon to move.
• Carbon dioxide traps energy from the sun and keeps the earth warm, it's a greenhouse gas.
• Carbon dioxide is necessary for life on Earth.
• The carbon cycle involves exchanges between the biosphere and the hydrosphere.
• Biosphere is balanced by photosynthesis.
• The hydrosphere, specifically the ocean, plays a big role.
• A stable ocean releases and absorbs approximately the same amount of carbon dioxide.
• Cycles move around 1000 billion tons of carbon dioxide.
• About 40% of carbon dioxide cycles between the ocean and the atmosphere.
• About 60% of carbon dioxide cycles between the atmosphere and living things in the biosphere.
• Human activity is a small part of carbon dioxide sources.
• Gases are being made faster than the planet can take them in.
• With no carbon sink, the amount of carbon dioxide builds up.

Natural Events and Changes in Climate

• In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted and covered the Earth, preventing sun rays.
• Crop failure happened due to the eruption.
• A 12 km meteor created the Chicxulub crater in Mexico
• The meteor flung aerosols (fire particles) into the air.
• 80% of species died due to the meteor impact.
• This happened 66 million years ago.
• Warm water causes ice caps to melt in this cycle.
• Sea level will rise.