Atmospheric Science

• The Earth's early atmosphere contained less oxygen, but more carbon dioxide and water vapour, than today.
• Increased emissions of greenhouse gases are leading to climate change.
• The greenhouse effect is the retention of heat in the atmosphere caused by the build-up of greenhouse gases.
• The gases responsible for global warming are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons).
• The layers of gases that surround the Earth are known as the atmosphere.
• The important gases in the atmosphere are nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide.
• Without greenhouse gases, the Earth would be about 32°C colder on average than it is now.
• Greenhouse gases absorb heat radiated from the Earth and then release energy.
• An example of greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour.
• Some of the infrared radiation escapes, but some is absorbed by greenhouse gases, keeping the energy in the atmosphere, warming it up.
• The gradual warming of the atmosphere over many years is referred to as global warming.
• The Earth's early atmosphere contained less oxygen, but more carbon dioxide and water vapour, than today.
• Increased emissions of greenhouse gases are leading to climate change.
• Human activities are causing an increase in the amounts of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons).
• The layers of gases that surround the Earth are known as the atmosphere.
• The important gases in the atmosphere are nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide.
• Water from melting glaciers and polar ice enters the oceans as the Earth's temperature increases, causing seawater to warm up and expand.
• There are international treaties aimed at reducing the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
• Even if emissions fell significantly, it would take a long time for the Earth's temperature to stabilise and then decrease.
• There are ways to mitigate the effects of climate change, including building flood defences, irrigation systems, and planting different crops, better adapted to a new climate.
• These steps are expensive, need to be on a large scale, and may themselves harm the environment.
• The effects of climate change include glaciers melting, polar ice melting, rising sea levels, changing rainfall patterns, and more.
• Climate describes the average weather over a long time and over a large area.
• The enhanced greenhouse effect is leading to climate change.
• Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas, and its concentration in the atmosphere has increased in the last 200 years, causing an enhanced greenhouse effect.
• The retention of heat in the atmosphere caused by the build-up of greenhouse gases is greater than would happen naturally.
• There is a correlation between the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and temperature change, as the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased, the global average temperature has generally increased too.
• The Earth's average temperature has gradually increased over time.
• Climate change refers to changes in the average weather conditions over longer periods and over large areas.
• The Earth's early atmosphere contained less oxygen, more carbon dioxide and water vapour than today.
• Increased emissions of greenhouse gases are leading to climate change.
• The modern atmosphere contains less water vapour, less carbon dioxide, and more oxygen than the Earth's early atmosphere.
• Water vapour in the Earth's early atmosphere condensed and turned from a gas or vapour into a liquid, creating the oceans.
• Carbon dioxide is a very soluble gas and readily dissolves in water.
• Carbon dioxide in the Earth's early atmosphere dissolved and the amount in the atmosphere decreased as the oceans formed.
• The Earth's early atmosphere contained less oxygen, but more carbon dioxide and water vapour than today
• Increased emissions of greenhouse gases are leading to climate change
• The modern atmosphere contains nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide
• Water vapour in the atmosphere condensed and formed liquid water, creating the oceans
• Carbon dioxide dissolved in water as the oceans formed, decreasing the amount in the atmosphere