New
New
Year 11
Edexcel
Higher

Global climate change and the effects

I can describe some of the major effects of climate change and suggest ways humans can help limit the effects.

New
New
Year 11
Edexcel
Higher

Global climate change and the effects

I can describe some of the major effects of climate change and suggest ways humans can help limit the effects.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Increasing average global temperatures leads to an increase in sea levels.
  2. Increasing average temperatures cause more powerful convection currents, increasing the number and severity of storms.
  3. Increasing average temperatures can affect atmospheric air streams and change weather patterns.
  4. Changes of human behaviour can lead to smaller increases in global temperature.
  5. Climate engineering may enable humans to reduce global temperatures through the application of technologies.

Common misconception

Climate change only leads to hotter weather. Human activity has a negligible impact on climate change.

Explain the diverse effects of climate change, including extreme weather. Highlight the significant role of human activity in accelerating climate change.

Keywords

  • Global warming - Global warming is an increase in Earth’s global temperatures, likely caused by more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

  • Sea ice - Sea ice is formed, grows and melts into the oceans. Sea ice floats on the ocean surface and contains less salt than sea water as the salt is ‘pushed out’ of the ice structure.

  • Convection currents - Convection currents are the transfer of heat in a gas or liquid, caused by differences in density and temperature.

  • Climate - The long-term weather conditions in an area are known as the climate.

  • Climate engineers - Climate engineers use technology as part of a large-scale intervention to alter the climate and limit the impacts of climate change.

Seas are smaller than oceans. The sea connects an ocean to land.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What do we call gases that are responsible for the greenhouse effect?
Correct Answer: greenhouse, greenhouse gases
Q2.
Which of the following are examples of renewable energy resources?
nuclear fuel
fossil fuels
Correct answer: solar
Correct answer: geothermal
Correct answer: wind
Q3.
Some bacteria release methane into the atmosphere. Where are these bacteria found?
in fossil fuels
Correct answer: in the digestive system of cows
Correct answer: in rice paddy fields
in photosynthesising plants
Correct answer: in landfill sites
Q4.
How may rising sea levels impact coastal areas?
Correct answer: more coastal flooding
more wildfires
Correct answer: increased coastal erosion
more storms
Q5.
What key term is given to the long-term weather conditions in an area?
Correct answer: climate
temperature
convection
air pressure
Q6.
What do greenhouse gases do?
Absorb higher frequency infrared radiation
Correct answer: Absorb lower frequency infrared radiation
Absorb higher frequency ultraviolet radiation
Absorb lower frequency ultraviolet radiation

6 Questions

Q1.
What are the causes of rising sea levels?
Correct answer: expansion of water due to increasing ocean temperatures
more water on Earth
Correct answer: melting glacial ice
Correct answer: melting sea ice
more rainfall
Q2.
Which of the following may be impacted directly or indirectly by sea ice melting?
Correct answer: biodiversity as polar bears and walruses lose their habitat
Correct answer: food prices as a result of impacted crop production
Correct answer: sea levels rising
Correct answer: crop production as seasonal temperatures change
the amount of energy released from combustion of fossil fuels
Q3.
How can global warming affect the climate?
Correct answer: more storms and extreme weather events
fewer storms and extreme weather events
Correct answer: less rainfall and droughts in some areas
Correct answer: more rainfall and flooding in some areas
make it hotter and sunnier all over the world
Q4.
What key term is used to describe an increase in Earth’s global temperatures?
Correct Answer: global warming
Q5.
How does climate change affect biodiversity?
animals produce more offspring
Correct answer: migration and hibernation patterns may change
biodiversity increases
Correct answer: plants may flower earlier
Q6.
Order the stages of carbon capture and storage.
1 - Carbon dioxide is collected before it is released into the atmosphere.
2 - Carbon dioxide is piped underground.
3 - Carbon dioxide is stored in old oil and gas fields and coal mines.