5.4.2 Causes of Climate Change

• What is climate change defined as?

  Long-term shifts in weather patterns
• Climate change can only be caused by natural factors.

  False
• How do volcanic eruptions affect climate change?

  Release aerosols, block sunlight
• Greenhouse gas emissions are primarily anthropogenic in origin.
• Greenhouse gas emissions result primarily from industry, transportation, and agriculture
• What are the key greenhouse gases contributing to climate change?

  CO₂, CH₄, N₂O
• Climate sensitivity ($\lambda$) measures the change in temperature resulting from radiative forcing.
• What is the impact of changes in solar radiation on climate change?

  Affects global temperature
• Greenhouse gas emissions trap heat and warm the Earth
• What are the two natural causes of climate change?

  Solar radiation, volcanic eruptions
• Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) is measured in Watts per meter squared ($W / m^{2}$).
• How do volcanic eruptions affect global temperatures?

  Block sunlight with aerosols
• Match the natural cause of climate change with its impact:

  Solar Radiation ↔️ Affects global temperature

  Volcanic Eruptions ↔️ Temporarily cools Earth
• What is the unit used to measure Total Solar Irradiance (TSI)?

  $W / m^{2}$
• Volcanic eruptions release aerosols that block sunlight and temporarily cool the Earth
• Natural factors contribute to long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns.
• What is the primary anthropogenic cause of climate change?

  Greenhouse gas emissions
• Order the key greenhouse gases by their sources and activities:

  1️⃣ Carbon Dioxide: Fossil fuel combustion, deforestation

  2️⃣ Methane: Agriculture, livestock, natural gas

  3️⃣ Nitrous Oxide: Agricultural fertilizers, industrial processes
• Industry contributes the most to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Agriculture contributes primarily through methane and nitrous oxide emissions
• What is the greenhouse effect?

  Trapping outgoing infrared radiation
• Match the greenhouse gas with its primary source:

  Carbon Dioxide ↔️ Fossil fuel combustion

  Methane ↔️ Agriculture and livestock

  Nitrous Oxide ↔️ Fertilizers and industrial processes
• Why is water vapor considered a feedback mechanism in the greenhouse effect?

  Short-lived, results from evaporation
• Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap outgoing infrared radiation
• What are the primary greenhouse gases?

  Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Water Vapor
• Carbon dioxide is released from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation
• Methane is emitted from livestock and natural gas leaks
• From what natural processes does water vapor result?

  Evaporation and transpiration
• Carbon dioxide is the primary contributor to global warming
• Why is methane considered potent despite being shorter-lived than carbon dioxide?

  It traps more heat
• Radiative forcing is calculated using radiative efficiency and the change in concentration
• What are the two categories of factors that cause climate change?

  Natural and anthropogenic
• Changes in solar radiation refer to variations in the sun's energy
• How do volcanic eruptions affect global temperatures?

  Release aerosols that block sunlight
• Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are an anthropogenic cause of climate change
• The formula \Delta T = \lambda \Delta F</latex> relates temperature change to radiative forcing
• What is the unit of measurement for Total Solar Irradiance (TSI)?

  $W / m^{2}$
• Match the natural cause of climate change with its description:

  Changes in Solar Radiation ↔️ Variations in sun's energy output

  Volcanic Eruptions ↔️ Release of aerosols affecting sunlight
• What are the two main natural causes of climate change?

  Solar radiation changes and volcanic eruptions
• Changes in solar radiation affect global temperatures