Evidence for Human Causes of Climate Change Flashcards

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Since the mid-1800s (the Industrial Revolution), what has happened to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

It has risen a lot; average carbon dioxide levels have gone up by over 40%.

How do modern measurements show that greenhouse gas levels are rising?

Air is sampled at many sites around the world and tested; the results show carbon dioxide and methane levels are going up over time.

How do ice cores give evidence that today’s carbon dioxide level is higher than in the past?

Bubbles of old air trapped in the ice are tested, and they show that past carbon dioxide levels were lower than they are now.

Name two human activities that increase carbon dioxide, and one that increases methane, in the atmosphere.

Burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests increase carbon dioxide; cattle farming and rice growing increase methane.

What pattern is seen when you compare graphs of carbon dioxide levels and average global temperature over the last 150 years?

Both graphs show a rise over time; as carbon dioxide levels increase, the average global temperature also increases.

In climate science, what does it mean when we say there is a ‘correlation’ between fossil fuel use and global temperature?

It means that as the burning of fossil fuels has increased, the average global temperature has also increased in a similar way.

Give one piece of evidence from the oceans or ice that supports recent global warming.

Sea levels are rising and many glaciers and ice sheets are melting, which both fit with a warming planet.

Name one natural factor that can change climate, and explain why it does not fully explain recent warming.

Changes in the Sun’s output or large volcanic eruptions can change climate, but their effects do not match the size or pattern of the recent long-term warming.

What is a climate model?

It is a computer program that uses physics and data about the Earth to predict how the climate changes over time.

How do climate models give evidence that humans are causing most of the recent warming?

The models only match the observed temperature rise when human greenhouse gas emissions are included; using natural causes alone does not fit the data.

Why is peer review important in climate change research?

Other scientists check the methods and results before the work is published, which helps make the evidence more reliable and less biased.

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