Are human changes to land, air, and water faster or slower than geologic processes?
Faster
What is the greenhouse effect?
Greenhouse gases trap in heat that is being reflected back into space and send it back to Earth
What is a greenhouse gas?
A gas like water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane that traps heat leaving Earth's surface
Why do we need the greenhouse effect?
It insulates Earth. Without it, the cold of space would kill us.
What is a fossil fuel?
Energy-rich substances formed from the remains of organisms
What do humans use fossil fuels for?
Generating electricity, heating homes, and powering cars
Where does methane come from?
Mining and processing of coal and petroleum, livestock, agriculture such as rice cultivation, landfill use, and the burning of biomass
How much has Earth's temperature increased over the past 120 years?
About 0.7*C
What is global warming?
The gradual increase in the temperature of Earth's atmosphere
What are climate models?
Complex computer programs that use data to predict temperature, precipitation, and other atmospheric conditions
What is the effect of rising levels of greenhouse gases?
Global warming
Does global warming mean that all parts of Earth are warming?
No; some parts get cooler while others get warmer. The AVERAGE temperature of the atmosphere has risen 0.7*C in the past 120 years.
What are the effects of global warming?
Melting glaciers, rising sea levels, drought, desertification, changes in the biosphere, and regional changes in temperature.
What is a drought?
A long period of time when there is no rain and the land becomes dry
What is desertification?
When severe droughts cause some lands to become deserts
What happens to organisms if their climate changes?
They adapt or die
