APES Unit 9 Review Questions and Answers correct

APES Unit 9 Review Questions and Answers correct stratospheric ozone layer is important to the evolution of life on Earth and the continued health and survival of life on Earth Stratospheric ozone depletion is caused by anthropogenic factors, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), and natural factors, such as the melting of ice crystals in the atmosphere at the beginning of the Antarctic spring how does a decrease in stratospheric ozone affect UV radiation on Earth? it increases the UV rays that reach the Earth's surface health impacts of UV radiation can lead to skin cancer and cataracts (eye damage) in humans Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) A family of organic compounds whose properties make them ideal for use in refrigeration, air-conditioning, and aerosols; cause ozone depletion How do CFCs and HCFCs destroy ozone? chlorine atoms contained in the compounds are highly reactive; they interact with Ozone (O3) by stripping off one Oxygen molecule, leaving behind O2. How can ozone depletion be mitigated (reduced)? by replacing ozone-depleting chemicals with substitutes that do not deplete the ozone layer such as Hydrofluorocarbons (HCFs) Even though HCFs do not deplete the ozone-layer, they are still an environmental concern because they have a high Global Warming Potential and are thousands of times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide the principal greenhouse gases carbon dioxide methane water vapor nitrous oxide chlorofluorocarbons water vapor as a greenhouse gas it doesn't contribute significantly to global climate change because it has a short residence time in the atmosphere (weighs more than gas) global warming potential of carbon dioxide GWP of 1; is used as a reference point for the comparison of different greenhouse gases and their impacts on global climate change which greenhouse gas has the highest GWP (global warming potential)? chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are over 10,000x as strong as CO2 how does the greenhouse effect contribute to life on Earth? the greenhouse effect results in the surface temperature necessary for life on Earth to exist but trapping in heat which would otherwise escape in the absence of the sun global warming potential of Methane 25 times that of Carbon Dioxide Impacts of global climate change rising sea levels, melting ice sheets, increased ocean temperatures and acidity, spreading of disease from the tropics toward the poles, melting permafrost, increased atmospheric temperatures ice cores Carbon Dioxide data and ice cores positive impacts of changing sea levels on marine ecosystems newly created habitats on now-flooded continental shelves negative impacts of changing sea levels on marine ecosystems deeper communities that may no longer be in the photic zone of seawater impact of climate change on atmospheric circulation can change circulation patterns, as temperature changes may impact Hadley cells and the jet stream why are ocean currents important? they are considered the ocean conveyor belt and carry heat throughout the world; changing currents can have a big impact on global climate, especially in costal regions how can climate change affect soil? changing temperatures and amount of rainfall can impact soil's viability and potentially increase erosion what regions on Earth experience the most impact from climate change? Earth's polar regions are showing faster response times to global climate change why are polar regions more susceptible to climate change? ice and snow in these regions reflect the most energy back out to space, leading to a positive feedback loop what happens to the Earth as ice and snow melt? (the positive feedback loop) less solar energy is radiated back into space and instead is absorbed by the Earth's surface. this in turn causes more warming of the polar regions global climate change response time in the Arctic is due to positive feedback loops involving melting sea ice and thawing tundra, and subsequent release of greenhouse gases like methane albedo effect the ability of a surface to reflect away solar radiation; measured from 0 to 1 with 0 being a pitch black surface (0% reflected) and 1 being a completely white surface (100% reflected) one consequence of the loss of ice and snow in polar regions is the effect on species that depend on the ice for habitat and food ocean warming is caused by the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere