What is global climate change?

1. What is global climate change?

2. There are gases in our Earth’s atmosphere which can trap heat toward the Earth’s surface. This is called the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect keeps the Earth from being a large ball of ice. Unfortunately the greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere and trapping more heat toward the Earth’s surface. The result is global climate change.

3. As you read through the Global Climate Change presentation you will need to answer all questions in the green boxes. To help you answer the questions you will need to click on the Sun symbol - Explain in your own words how the greenhouse gases help keep the Earth warm? Clouds can reflect incoming sunlight and prevent the Sun’s energy from reaching the Earth’s surface. Will an increase in Earth’s temperature cause an increase in clouds in the sky? Explain. Will clouds keep Earth cooler or warmer? Explain.

4. Major greenhouse gases include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Each of these gases help trap the heat toward the Earth’s surface. What is the connection between carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere and global temperatures? How do scientists know what the Earth was like a half million years ago?

5. The “Climate Time Machine” website will show you how the change in Earth’s temperature has effected the sea levels and the sea ice. You will need to follow the instructions on the web page to help you answer the questions. Describe how the sea ice has changed between the years 1979 and 2010. Describe how the coast of the Southeastern United States will change if all of the ice on Greenland melted. How will this effect the people who live on the coast? Support with examples. What did you notice about the carbon dioxide concentration between the years 2002 – 2009? How did you come to this conclusion? During what months were the carbon dioxide concentrations the highest? Why do you think the carbon dioxide concentrations were the highest in the Arctic? What observations did you make about the change in global surface temperatures between the years 1885 – 2007? Describe any connection you observe with the increase in carbon dioxide concentrations?

6. Humans have contributed to the increase in carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels – coal, oil, and natural gas. When fossil fuels are burned they release the carbon that was trapped within the fuel source. Describe the SIX primary sources of greenhouse gases in the United States. Support your answer with examples.

7. Climate is an important environmental influence on ecosystems. Climate changes and the impacts of climate change affect ecosystems in a variety of ways. For instance, warming could force species to migrate to higher latitudes or higher elevations where temperatures are more conducive to their survival. Similarly, as sea level rises, saltwater intrusion into a freshwater system may force some key species to relocate or die, thus removing predators or prey that were critical in the existing food chain. Describe how climate change impacts the following: - changes in the timing of seasonal life-cycle events - range shifts - food web disruptions Support your answer with examples

8. Global warming isNOTcaused by the hole in the Ozone layer allowing more heat to enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Explain why the hole in the ozone layer does not contribute to global warming. The ozone layer protects Earth from the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation represents less than one percent of the energy from the Sun.

9. Use all of the words below to appropriately explain global climate change and how it impacts the environment. You may use different forms of the word. Underline each word when it is used. methane Greenhouse Tree rings Sea level migrate Radiated heat Global Climate Change time Ice cores gases Carbon dioxide atmosphere Life-cycles forests Fossil fuels temperature humans Food chain