Key Terms: Climate Change Flashcards

All 10 cards in this deck

What is the Quaternary period?

The most recent geological time period, covering roughly the last 2.6 million years, during which climate has swung between glacials and interglacials.

What is an ice core?

A cylinder of ice drilled from an ice sheet or glacier; air trapped in it gives evidence of past temperatures and greenhouse gas levels.

What is the greenhouse effect?

The natural process in which greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap outgoing heat, keeping the Earth warm enough for life.

What is global warming?

The rise in average global temperatures, mainly caused by the enhanced greenhouse effect.

What is a carbon footprint?

A measure of the greenhouse gases released by a person, organisation or product, usually given in tonnes of carbon dioxide.

What is mitigation of climate change?

Action taken to reduce or prevent the causes of climate change.
e.g. cutting greenhouse gas emissions by using renewable energy.

What is adaptation to climate change?

Changing our behaviour or surroundings to cope with the effects of climate change.
e.g. building flood defences against rising sea levels.

What is carbon capture (and storage)?

Technology that traps carbon dioxide released by power stations and industry and stores it underground.

True or false? Planting trees to absorb carbon dioxide is an example of adaptation.

False. It reduces a cause of climate change, so it is mitigation.

True or false? The greenhouse effect is entirely caused by human activity.

False. The greenhouse effect is a natural process that keeps the Earth warm; human activity increases it (the enhanced greenhouse effect), causing global warming.