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12 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Weather |
Daily fluctuations in the state of the atmosphere, with respect to temperature, moisture, wind and pressure etc. |
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Climate |
Average condition of the atmosphere for a specific geographical region with respect to temperature, moisture, etc. |
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Layers of the Atmosphere |
1.) Exosphere 2.) Thermosphere 3.) Mesosphere 4.) Stratosphere 5.) Tropisphere |
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Atmosphere Contents |
The atmosphere is made up of mostly nitrogen & oxygen gases. |
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Ozone |
- Is present in the stratosphere (16 to 50 km above us) - Has the important function of absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light - UV light has the potential to disrupt DNA, resulting in cancer, defects, immune and eye damage |
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The Ozone Cycle |
- O3 absorbs UV-B, which is the “bad” form of UV, breaking it down into O2 and O. - The newly formed O is likely to recombine with O2, because of high O2 concentrations. - The destruction and formation of ozone exists in equilibrium, maintaining enough to absorb harmful UV-B rays. |
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Role of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) |
- Family of compounds composed of chlorine & fluorine - Remarkably resilient, therefore few environmental problems (or so was thought) - Used in aerosols, refrigerants, air conditioners, making of styrofoam, etc. - CFC’s are notes for their stability at ground level, but once they reach the stratosphere, where UV radiation is stronger, they decompose, freeing up chlorine atoms - Chlorine atoms form a stronger bond with oxygen, and are able to strip an oxygen atom away from ozone |
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Greenhouse Effect |
- In order for life to exist the way it does on Earth, an insulating blanket of gases is required. - Without this effect the average temperature would likely be around -18*C |
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Greenhouse Gases |
- Gases that are particularly good at trapping in heat - Methane (CH4): Comes from ruminants (grazing animals). Bacteria in their guts break down cellulose. This creates methane. - Carbon Dioxide (CO2): Comes from fossil fuel combustion, coal powered electrical plants, automobile exhaust. - The addition of CO2 to the atmosphere since the industrial revolution (1830’s) is the prime suspect for the warming trends being witnessed in recent years. - Ice cites taken from the Antarctic ice cap have trapped gases in them indicating that CO2 levels in the atmosphere fluctuate naturally. |
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Global Consequence |
The obvious consequence is warmer temperatures... but other problems may arise - Extinction - Drought - Extreme weather |
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GC: Oceans |
- Sea Ice in the North Pole is melting - Flooding land that is currently just above sea level - Changing habitats of shoreline plants, animals and micro-organisms - Causes the loss of property as it changes geographic coastlines and shapes the continental coasts - Reduces the amount of fresh water available to communities - Fresh water from melting ice floats on sea water and could disrupt the sinking of salt water and ocean currents in general |
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Global Warming Feedback Loops |
Positive feedback loops are involved in climate change 1.) As temperatures rise... - Warm water expands causing ocean levels to rise - Less CO2 can be absorbed, meaning that more will be released to the atmosphere - Less plankton growth - More CO2 in the water acidifies the water, which bleaches (kills the living portion) coral 2.) As temperatures rise... - Wildlife will adapt, move, or die - Plants can’t move very fast! |
