Meteorology & climateLesson 1 of 4 in the course Climate change

Climate Change: Causes, Evidence, Impacts, and Responses

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces climate change, distinguishes it from global warming, and explores how Earth’s climate has changed over time. It also explains the evidence that modern warming is happening unusually quickly and is primarily caused by human activities.

Global warming means the ongoing increase in global average surface temperature. Climate change is broader: it includes global warming and its effects on the climate system, such as changes in rainfall, storms, ice, and sea level. The term can also describe long-term climate changes throughout Earth’s history, including changes caused by natural processes. Anthropogenic climate change refers specifically to climate change resulting from human activities.

All flashcards

What is global warming?
The ongoing increase in global average surface temperature.
What does climate change include?
Global warming and wider changes to the climate system, including changes in precipitation, storms, ice, and sea level.
What does anthropogenic climate change mean?
Climate change resulting from human activities, such as fossil-fuel burning, deforestation, and some agricultural and industrial practices.
What are climate proxies?
Indirect records of past climate, including tree rings and ice cores, which help scientists study periods before widespread thermometer measurements.
Why are climate trends assessed over many years?
Long-term averages reduce the influence of natural year-to-year and decade-to-decade variability, making the underlying warming trend easier to detect.

Quiz questions

  1. How do greenhouse gases contribute to the natural greenhouse effect?Answer: They absorb outgoing infrared energy and re-emit some of it.
  2. How can increased water vapour amplify warming as a positive feedback?Answer: Warmer air holds more water vapour, which absorbs more outgoing heat.
  3. What is a climate effect of sulfate aerosols?Answer: They reflect sunlight and can make clouds more reflective.
  4. About how long is methane’s average atmospheric lifetime?Answer: About 12 years.
  5. What have measurements shown about solar energy reaching Earth since 1880?Answer: It has shown no upward trend over that period.

Based on the Wikipedia article Climate change, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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