APES Climate Change Unit Review – 2018. Based on Friedland Chapter 19.

Basics of Earth’s Climate

1. Latitude affects climate because of tilt of Earth and its rotation around Sun
2. Air cools as it rises in altitude within the troposphere
3. Changes in air pressure affect temperature of air (adiabatic heating and cooling)
4. Latent heat release occurs when water condenses from air
5. Warm air can hold more moisture than cool air
6. Cool air is less dense than warm air and causes convection cycles in the atmosphere
7. Hadley cells drive much of Earth’s climate and extend from the equator to 30 degrees
North and South latitude.
8. Rain shadows result in more rainfall on windward side of mountains.
9. The rotation of the Earth affects the direction of wind patterns at different points on Earth
10. ENSO (El Niño) occurs on a regular periodic pattern and can alter weather patterns around
the world.
Module 62: Climate Change and the Greenhouse Effect
· ​ Understand how the greenhouse effect works by trapping heat within the Earth’s
atmosphere
1. About ⅓ of sunlight is reflected back into space
2. UV is absorbed by the ozone layer and converted to infrared radiation.
3. Remaining radiation is absorbed or reflected by Earth and clouds
4. Some heat from surface of Earth is reflected back into atmosphere and some is
absorbed by greenhouse gases.
5. Trapped heat increases Earth’s temperature.
More greenhouse gases=more heat is absorbed and trapped in the atmosphere.
Know the primary greenhouse gases--water vapor (H​2​O), carbon dioxide (CO​2​), methane
(CH​4​), nitrous oxide (N​2​O), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Be able to compare their
relative abundance, lifespan in the atmosphere, and greenhouse warming potential.

Greenhouse gas Concentration in Global warming Duration in

2010 potential(over 100 atmosphere
years-relative to
CO2)

Water Vapor Variable with temp <1 9 days

CO2 390 ppm 1 Highly

variable(ranging from
years to hundreds of
years)

Methane 1.8 ppm 25 12 years

Nitrous Oxide .3ppm 300 114 years

Chloroflurocarbons .9 ppm 1,600-13,000 55>500 years

· Know the natural and anthropogenic sources of each of these greenhouse gases.

Gas Natural Source Anthropogenic Source

H2O Evaporation Little at global level

CO2 Volcanoes, decomposition Burning fossil fuels,

Deforestation

CH4 Decomposition Livestock-cattle burps,farts

and manure, Landfills,
decomposition in wetlands,
natural gas leaks

N2O Denitrification Flooded fields, synthetic

fertilizers, large scale planting
of N-fixing crops

CFC None Industry(refrigerants-used in

air conditioners, refrigerators,
aerosol sprays and insulating
foam).
Module 63: Evidence for Global Warming
· Understand the historical and current trends of atmospheric CO2 and temperature.
Know the historical and current concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Historical-280 ppm. Current-400ppm
Trends
● CO2 concentrations go up and down each year
○ Peak in May
○ Winter decomposition adds CO2 and spring uses a lot of CO2
○ Northern Hemisphere drives this effect because there is more land mass
● CO2 and temperature are strongly correlated
○ Global temps have steadily increased since records began in 1880.
·​ Be able to describe methods used by scientists to measure historical temperature
and carbon dioxide concentrations.
§ Direct measurement of atmospheric CO2
CO2 concentrations have been increasing for the past 6 decades
Keeling Curve​: CO2 levels have been measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii since
1958. This is THE data set for global CO2 levels.
§ Changes in Fossil Species Compositions (esp formanifera)
Dead shells form different layers of sediment, which can be used to interpret temperature.
§ Air Bubbles in Ancient Ice
Measure O2 isotopes-light 16O2 and heavy 18O2
Warm temperatures have a higher % of heavy O2
§ Climate Models
Researchers can​ determine how well a model approximates real-world processes by applying it
to a time in the past for which we have accurate data​ on conditions such as air and ocean
temperatures, CO2 concentration, extent of vegetation, and sea ice cover- age at the poles.
Modern models reproduce recent temperature fluctuations well over large spatial scales
· Explain how scientists know that current warming is due to greenhouse gases rather than
increase in solar radiation.
The most solar radiation occurs in the summer, so if the amount of solar radiation was
increasing then we would see an increase in temperature in the summer. However, we are
seeing ​warmer temperatures in winter.
· Be able to differentiate positive and negative feedback cycles and recognize
examples of both related to global climate change
​Global change feedback systems.​ (a) Temperature and
CO2 represent a positive feedback system. ​When the
concentration of CO2 increases in the atmosphere, it can
cause global temperatures to increase. This in turn can cause
more rapid decomposition, thereby releasing even more CO2
into the atmosphere​. (b) Carbon dioxide and producers
represent a negative feedback system. ​Increased CO2 in the
atmosphere from anthropogenic sources can be partially
removed by increased photosynthesis by producers.
Module 64: Consequences of Global Climate Change
· Know the definition of albedo and be able to compare albedo among different areas.

Albedo​:the proportion of the incident light or

radiation that is reflected by a surface, typically that
of a planet or moon.(​Reflectiveness of a surface​)

· Understand the current trends and consequences of ice melting in the Arctic, Antarctic, and
continental glaciers.
·​ Understand that the ​Arctic regions are showing the greatest rate of temperature
increase​ and that average temperatures in the Arctic region have already increased 1 –
4 ˚C and are expected to increase another 4-7˚C by 2100.
· Know that the ​average temperatures on Earth (land and ocean) have increased
approximately 0.9˚C from pre-industrial levels.
· Understand that ​global warming is resulting in melting permafrost​ which represents
about 20% of Earth’s land area and can be up to a mile thick. Major consequences
of permafrost melting include ​the release of methane from decomposition and
shrinking lakes as water soaks into softened soil​.
· Understand that ​sea levels have increased approximately 22 cm (9”) since 1870​, but
this rise is not uniform. Increase in sea level is due to both ​glacial melting and
thermal expansion of ocean water.
Understand consequences of global climate change that are occurring or are predicted to
occur in the next 50-100 years.
● Temperatures will continue to rise
● Frost free season(and growing season) will lengthen
● Change in precipitation patterns
● More drought and heat waves
● Natural disasters will become more frequent and stronger.
● Sea level rise
o ​Effects on Humans
§ Displacement of people in coastal areas
§ Changes in areas available for agriculture
§ Increase in infectious and vector-borne diseases
§ Increased mortality due to heat waves
§ Lack of water availability
o ​Effects on organisms
§ Changes in times of plant phenology and animal migration
§ Growing season has increased by 4-16 days in Northern Hemisphere
§ Many organisms cannot migrate due to barriers
§ Food webs can be disrupted as species migrate at different rates
o ​Effects on weather patterns
§ Increased heat waves
§ Increased flooding and intense storms
§ Increased intensity of hurricanes
§ Increased droughts