Year 8 Exam Review
What is Climate Change?
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The Change in the world’s atmosphere.
It includes a rise in average global temperature and changes in rainfall
and other weather patterns.
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
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Greenhouses trap heat from the sun, the glass panels let in light but keep
heat from escaping. This causes the greenhouse to heat up.
On Earth, the atmosphere’s gases allow sunshine to pass through but
absorb the heat that is radiated (bounced) back from the warmed surface
of the earth.
The gases in the atmosphere act like a blanket around our planet, which
traps in heat, making the temperature rise.
This is a natural process that keeps the planet warm, without it the world
would be too cold to live on.
What are the three main Greenhouse Gases?
Carbon monoxide, methane, water
vapor.
What is the evidence for Climate
Change?
The Earth’s rising temperature, melting
ice caps, rising sea levels, more major
storms, changing seasons…
How people contribute towards Climate Change?
Man has increased the amount of greenhouse gases going into the atmosphere.
 Carbon Dioxide – burning solid waste, wood, and fossil fuels (oil, natural
gas, and coal). Agriculture and Industry causes a lot of problems.
 Methane – production and transport of fossil fuels, decomposition of
organic waste (landfills/livestock farming).
What are the Effects of Climate Change?
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Sea levels around the world could rise. Cities on coasts would flood.
Temperate places that now receive frequent rain and snowfall might
become hotter and drier.
Inland lakes and rivers could shrink.
Forest fires could occur more often.
Frequent periods of drought would make it hard to raise crops for food.
Less water would available for drinking, showers, irrigation, even
swimming pools!
Plants and animals unable to take the heat may go extinct, and be
replaced by heat-tolerant species.
Hurricanes, tornadoes and other storms caused by changes in heat and
water evaporation might occur more frequently and be more intense.
What can we do to help stop Climate Change?
Walk, ride a bike, or take a bus!
Don’t waste electricity (turn off the lights, radio, the TV and the computer
when you’ve not using them.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Plant trees!
Use alternate energy sources like solar power.
Don’t eat as much beef…
Example Questions
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Describe what climate change is and explain how it happens.
Describe the effects of climate change in different places around the
world.
What are all the different things individuals can do to help stop climate
change?
What can countries and governments do to help?
Explain how each of the ideas you mention could reduce climate change
(Link the ideas you give to the greenhouse effect to help explain how each
one can reduce climate change.)
Give some examples of action from around the world.
Say which ideas you think are the best and say why.