Handout 25-3Handout 25-3

Climate ChangeClimate Change

1. 1. What two questions do scientists What two questions do scientists work to answer?work to answer?

• Is the climate really changing?

• If it is changing what is the cause?

2. 2. Define Define climatologistclimatologist..

• Scientists who gather data to study and compare past and present climates and to predict future climate change.

3. 3. What practice helps What practice helps climatologists make predictions climatologists make predictions about future climates?about future climates?

• Look at past climates to find patterns in the changes that occur.

4. 4. When scientists find high When scientists find high 1818O O levels in ________, they know that levels in ________, they know that the water was the water was cool in the past.cool in the past.• sea-floor sediment

5. 5. Thin ______ indicate cool Thin ______ indicate cool weather and low precipitation in the weather and low precipitation in the past.past.• tree rings

6. 6. High levels of COHigh levels of CO22 found in found in

______ indicate warmer climate in ______ indicate warmer climate in the past, whereas ice ages follow the past, whereas ice ages follow decreases in COdecreases in CO22..• ice cores

7. 7. By studying ________, scientists By studying ________, scientists can learn how animals adapted to can learn how animals adapted to changing climates.changing climates.• fossils

8. 8. Computer-generated climate Computer-generated climate models that simulate changes in models that simulate changes in one variable when other variables one variable when other variables remain unchanged are called remain unchanged are called ___________.___________.

• general circulation models (GCMs)

9. 9. What are three climate What are three climate conditions that computer models be conditions that computer models be used to predict?used to predict?

• temperature

• precipitation

• wind patterns

• sea level changes

10. 10. What are three factors that What are three factors that might cause climate changes?might cause climate changes?

• movement of tectonic plates

• changes in Earth’s orbit

• Human activity

• atmospheric changes

1111 The movement of continents The movement of continents over millions of years caused by over millions of years caused by ________ may affect climate ________ may affect climate changes.changes.• tectonic plate motion

12. 12. The shape of Earth’s orbit The shape of Earth’s orbit changes from _________ to changes from _________ to circular, affecting Earth’s distance circular, affecting Earth’s distance from the sun and therefore Earth’s from the sun and therefore Earth’s temperature and climate.temperature and climate.• elliptical

13. 13. Decreasing _______decreases Decreasing _______decreases temperature differences between temperature differences between seasons.seasons.• tilt

The wobble of Earth on its axis The wobble of Earth on its axis changes the direction of Earth’s tilt changes the direction of Earth’s tilt and can reverse the ________. and can reverse the ________. • seasons.

15. 15. As warm air above land rises As warm air above land rises and cool air from above water and cool air from above water moves in to replace it, a cool wind moves in to replace it, a cool wind moving from water to land, called a moving from water to land, called a __________, forms in the __________, forms in the afternoon.afternoon.• sea breeze

16. 16. What human activities are What human activities are responsible for releasing carbon responsible for releasing carbon dioxide, COdioxide, CO22, into the atmosphere?., into the atmosphere?.

• Pollution from transportation and industry

17. 17. What can increases in COWhat can increases in CO22

levels lead to?levels lead to?• Global warming

18. 18. Climate change can affect what Climate change can affect what three life-forms?three life-forms?

• Humans

• plants

• animals

19. 19. What are three potential climate What are three potential climate changes that could make survival changes that could make survival of life on Earth more difficult for of life on Earth more difficult for both humans and other species?both humans and other species?• global warming

• sea-level changes

• changes in precipitation

20. 20. Define Define global warmingglobal warming..

• A gradual increase in the average global temperature that is due to a higher concentration of gases such as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

21. 21. How could global warming How could global warming affect plants and animals?affect plants and animals?

• Increases in evaporation could cause some areas to become drier and some plants and animals wouldn't be able to live in these dry conditions.

22. 22. How could the melting of polar How could the melting of polar ice caps affect the shoreline and its ice caps affect the shoreline and its inhabitants?inhabitants?• flooding around coastlines were cities are

located.

23. 23. What actions have countries What actions have countries taken to reduce the potential effects taken to reduce the potential effects of global warming?of global warming?• treaties and laws to reduce pollution

• industrial practices are being monitored

24. 24. List three actions individuals List three actions individuals can take to reduce COcan take to reduce CO22

concentrations in the atmosphere concentrations in the atmosphere that are caused that are caused by pollution.by pollution.• turn lights off

• turn down heaters and air conditioners

• recycle

25. 25. Name two ways that people can Name two ways that people can change their transportation habits change their transportation habits to reduce the release of COto reduce the release of CO22 into into

the the atmosphere.atmosphere.• drive fuel efficient vehicles

• tune your care properly

• inflate tires properly

26. 26. When driving, what are two When driving, what are two things that can be done to make things that can be done to make sure the car is burning fuel more sure the car is burning fuel more efficiently?efficiently?• Drive at a consistent speed

• Don’t over accelerate

27. 27. How can hybrid cars reduce the How can hybrid cars reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?atmosphere?• They use both gasoline and electricity.

The EndThe End