Week 12: Albedo and Greenhouse Gases

 


  1. What did you do in lab today?

    1. What are the primary points in the video?

      1. How fast climate change is really happening

      2. We have knocked down whole ecosystems in the ocean  

      3. Most of the US economy is made up of fossil fuels 

        1. Other countries are doing way more with solar energy than we are 

      4. Climate change is not a matter of if but when 

    2. What are the major issues?

      1. Fossil fuels 

      2. Greenland is melting 

      3. By 2040, you will be able to sail over the North Pole (actually happened last year) 

      4. Places around the equator will become unlivable 

    3. What questions do you want us to teach you?

      1. How can we help? 

      2. How do renewable energy sources work compared to fossil fuels?

  2. What was the big question?

    1. How is climate change affecting Iowa? 

  3. What did you learn in Thursday’s discussion?

    1. Climate is a 30-year average of weather 

    2. 6 variables that control climate 

      1. Latitude 

        1. Distance from the equator

        2. Closer to the poles → cold temperature

        3. Closer to the equator → warmer temperature 

      2. Ocean currents

        1. Temperature of an ocean current affects the temperature of the air that passes over it 

      3. Wind and air masses

        1. An air mass is a large volume of air that takes on the climatic conditions of the area where it is formed 

      4. Elevation 

        1. The higher the altitude, the colder the temperature

        2. As the air rises, it expands because of the lower air pressure

        3. As the air expands, it cools 

      5. Relief

        1. Precipitation when an air mass rises to cross a mountain barrier 

        2. An adiabatic process is one in which no heat is gained or lost by the system 

      6. Near water

        1. In the summer, the water acts like an air conditioner to keep the air temperatures cool

        2. In the winter, water acts like a heater to keep the temperatures from getting too cold

        3. Continental climate (away from water)

        4. Maritime climate (close to water) 

  4. Read chapter 12 of the textbook.

    1. What did you learn?

      1. Weather: short-term atmospheric conditions in an area

        1. Can change day to day 

      2. Climate: usual weather activity that can be expected for an area and time of year 

        1. Measure in 30-year intervals 

    2. What was the most helpful?

      1. I found it interesting to read about the flood that happened here in 2008. I lived in Iowa during the time, but I lived 2 hours away. I did not know much about this, so it was interesting to read about it and see pictures. 

    3. What do you need more information on?

      1. I do not need any more information on what was discussed in the textbook. 

  5. What questions, concerns, and/or comments do you have? 

    1. I do not have any questions, concerns, and/or comments after this week's lab and lecture.


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