Science Outline

Causation and Correlation - ??

Green House Effect – The natural warming caused when gases in Earth’s atmosphere
absorb thermal energy that is radiated by the Sun and Earth. This helps to keep Earth’s
temperature fluctuations within a certain range. Without this effect, the average
temperature of the earth would be 34 degrees lower than it is today.

Green House Gases – Gas in the Earth’s atmosphere that absorbs and prevents the escape
of radiation as thermal energy (carbon dioxide, methane). This produces a warming
effect.

Layers of the Atmosphere – WHAT

Albedo – The fraction of light reflected by a surface. This affects the global temperature,
due to the distribution of water, ice and land on Earth’s surface.

Evidence for climate change – Coral Reefs (Grow better depending on temperature). Tree
Rings (More rain makes more space between rings). Raising Sea Levels. Fossils (You
can see the animals adapt to different climates throughout history).

Positive and Negative Feedback Loops – Positive: The actions that it starts with is
amplified. Negative: The actions that it starts with, stops.

Ozone Depletion – Caused by “CFC’s” (Chloro Fluoro Carbons). This creates a positive
feedback loop  Reduce O3  Reduced temperature  Formatids of “PSC’s” (Polar
stratospheric Clouds)  Chlorine forms in clouds  Chlorine reacts with O3 and thins it

Ground Level Ozone – Smog (Hydrocarbons+O2+Nitrogen oxides+sunlight+vehicle

exhaust)
Carbon Cycle – THE

Nitrogen Cycle – Most of our atmosphere is made up of N2. Before it can enter into
living organisms it must be converted into a usable form such as NH4+. Ill copy your
diagram tomorrow ~_~.

Graphing Tools – FACKING

Factors that Affect Climate:

**Milankovich Cycles**  3 Major impacts on climate change
1) Eccentricity – How circular the orbit around the sun is, affects the intensity of
seasons. This orbit can fluctuate. We are currently in a low eccentricity orbit.
2) Obliquity – Tilt of earth’s axis in relation to the plane of orbit around the sun.
More tilt = more temperature difference between winter and summer.
3) Precession – Changes in the orientation of earth’s axis in space. Affects the time
of year at which the earth is closest from the sun, and furthest.
Atmosphere  Traps gases, distributes hear throughout earth.

Why we have seasons – FRIGGING

Heat Transfer – Radiation: Transfer of energy as electromagnetic radiation. (FIRE

PLACE)
Conduction: Transfer of thermal energy between 2 objects that are in physical contact.
(FRYING PAN).
Convection: Transfer of thermal energy by particles moving from one place to another.
(LAVA LAMP)

How Ocean Currents are formed – Gravity, convection (Caused by temperature

differences), winds, solinity. Ocean currents are important because they: spread heat,
cycle nutrients, carry animals, help migration patterns.
The Behaviour of Water – FUDGING

How Prevailing winds are formed – Coriolis: The apparent change in movement of an
object moving in a straight path due to the fact that it is in a moving system. Convection
Currents:
The effects of prevailing winds - -.-‘.
The effects of climate change on nature - ~_~.
The effects of climate change on societies - *facepalm.

Canadian and global initiatives to reduce climate change – HOV Lanes, Planting trees,
reusable bags + bottles.
How climate is categorized - ????!?!?!!??!?
Biomes of Canada -
fml.