Focus questions
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How has climate changed over geologic time?
Climate change and the energy budget
 Climate change and the oceans
 Climate change and the hydrological cycle
 Climate change and the carbon cycle
 Climate change and atmospheric circulation.
 Climate change and tectonics

Read ‘What is the evidence for past climate change?’ page 188
How has the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere changed over its history?
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Glacial and interglacial periods
How has the extent of ice coverage on the Earth changed over time?
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Warm climate periods
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What level is atmospheric carbon dioxide expected to rise to before stabilising and when do climatologists believe that conditions similar to this last existed?
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Describe the conditions, as indicated by fossil evidence, that are likely to have existed on the Earth at this time.
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What is likely to have caused the increase in carbon dioxide during this time period?
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What was responsible for the removal of carbon dioxide during the Eocene period?, how long did this process take and what implications does this have for the predicated increase in atmospheric carbon from
380ppm to 500ppm, in the coming century?
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How did the lack of ice at the poles affect sea levels and ocean temperature?
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Cold climate periods
What period does the Pleistocene epoch cover?
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Describe the climatic conditions and variations that have occurred during this period
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In what ways have shifts in climate between ice ages and warmer periods impacted on the shape of the
Earth’s landforms?
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What are the forcing factors that may have caused the shift in global temperatures during the Pleistocene period?
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What positive climate feedback mechanisms operate to increase the effects of global warming or cooling?
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What evidence do we have to suggest that climate will reach certain limits or thresholds (tipping points) and then change quite quickly?
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When was the last major ice age and what climatic conditions exist during ice ages?
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Climate change and impacts
List the natural systems and processes which are impacted on by climate change:
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Climate change and the energy budget
What short and long term changes occur in the Earth’s energy budget?
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The sun
What role does the sun play in the Earth’s weather systems and what events have caused variations in the amount of energy the sun emits?
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The Earth in space
How do the following changes in the Earth’s axis and orbit contribute to climate change?:
Eccentricity of the Earth’s orbit
Annual orbit around the sun Variations in its tilt
Space objects
Explain how meteor strikes and dust from extraterrestrial sources may contribute to climate change.
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Climate change and the oceans
What changes can occur in oceans as a response to changes in climate?
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Sea level changes
What is meant by ‘isostatic change’ and how does it contribute to changes in sea levels?
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What is the ‘Mesozoic’ and how have sea levels changed since the start of this period?
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State the ranges of estimates of future sea level rises
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How has the uneven distribution of heat led to regional variations in changes in sea levels?
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How do prevailing winds produce changes in sea levels?
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What are some of the impacts of rising sea levels?
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Ocean currents and circulations
What factors affect ocean currents and circulations?
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Referring to the following diagram, explain the meaning of the term ‘thermohaline circulation’. Why is thermohaline circulation important and what implications does the warming of oceans have for this circulation?

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Describe the movement of water in the North Atlantic Current or Gulf Stream Drift, and the Labrador
Current
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How could an increase in fresh water from glacial melting in Greenland affect this circulation of water and what impacts could this have?
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Compare the roles of the ocean and atmosphere in carrying energy from the equatorial regions towards the poles.
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Explain the impact that the movement in continents has had on ocean currents and temperature
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Describe how ocean currents operate to shift water today?
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Ocean chemistry
What evidence is there that the acidity of the oceans is changing and what impacts might this have?
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Explain the role that the oceans have played in moderating the affect of anthropogenic causes of increased atmospheric CO
2
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The impact of climate change on the hydrological and carbon cycles, and atmospheric circulation
Summarize the impact of climate change on the Earth’s natural systems by completing the table
The hydrological cycle The carbon cycle The atmospheric cycle
Climate change and tectonics
What is the meaning of the term ‘Tectonics’?
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Explain the relationship between climate change and each of the following:
(a) Continental drift
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(b) Mountain systems
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Draw a diagram similar to figure 10.18 to show the Rainshadow effect
(c) Volcanic activity
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