ClimateChangeSeminar20152016

FinalCombinedEssay.

Instructions:
1. Placeyourcompletedessaysintheappropriatelocations.
2. Ifyouwishtotrytogetexpertinthe3learningtargetsyoucanaddanoverall
introductionandconclusionandaddtransitionsbetweensections.Alsoincludepictures,
intextreferencesandanoverallbibliographyforExpert.

Section1:NaturalResources&ImpactofhumanPollution
HowFossilFuelsareFormed:
Insertyour4paragraphessayhere
Inordertosustainourworldweneedenergysources,andourmostimportantenergysources
weusetodaycamefromanimals,yesanimals.Throughthesameprocessesthatcreated
fossils,ourmostimportantenergysourcesknownasfossilfuelswereformed.Fossilfuels,that
wereformedmillionsofyearsago,wereoncealive.Theseconceptsareverybroadto
understandrightoffthebat,butessentiallyweneedtoknowhowtheyformedsothatwecan
usethesenonrenewableenergysourceswisely.

Fossilfuels,thatwereformedmillionsofyearsago,wereoncealive.Itallstartedwhenthese
livingorganismswereburied.Theyslowlydecomposedovermillionsofyears.Somewere
buriedunderthousandsoffeetofmud,rock,andsand.Inotherareas,ancientseascoveredthe
materialsandtheseasdriedup.Intenseheatpressurewascreatedthatformedhydrocarbons.
Graduallylayersbuiltontopoftheplantandanimalremains.Thelayersgotburiedsodeepthat
thelargemassofearthcrushed.Theweightofthisearthiswhatcreatedtheheatandpressure
thateventuallymadethematerialinthelayersintohydrocarbons.Hydrocarbonsarewhatform
thefossilfuelsweknowtoday.Itmayseemthatallfossilfuelsarealikesincetheyformunder
similarconditions,buttherearedifferenttypesoffossilfuelsdependingonwhatcombinationof
animalsandplantsdebriswaspresent,howlongthematerialwasburied,andthekindof
conditionsintemperatureandpressurethatwerearoundastheydecomposed.

Fossilfuelswereformedindifferenttypes.ThisdependedonHydrocarbonsinitsdifferentforms
giveusourmainthreefossilfuels,withthesolidformbeingcoal,theliquidformispetroleum,
andthenaturalgasisthegaseousform.Coalwascreatedbyplantsandalgaeburiedovertime
andcompressedunderlayersofmudandvegetation.Typicallymossesandalgaewereburied
inswampwetlands,andmudandacidicwaterpreventedtheburiedplantmatterfromreceiving
anyoxygen.Mostofthecarbonwasthenpreservedasaresultofslowdecomposition,allowing
carbonizationtooccurunderimmenseheatandpressuretoeventuallycreatecoal.Naturalgas
canbeformedbyminisculemicroorganismsknownasmethanogens.Thesemicroorganisms
resideintheintestinesofanimalsthatwhendecomposed,theybreakdownintobiogenic
methaneotherwisecallednaturalgas.Petroleumscreationarisesfromtheremainsofancient

marineorganisms.Deadplants,algae,andplanktonwouldmixtogetheraftersinkingtothe
seafloor.Whentheancientseasdriedup,sedimentarybasinsremained.Farbelowiswherethe
formedorganicmaterialsofpetroleumwouldsit.

Allthefossilfuelspresentedaredifferentbecauseofthedifferenttypeoforganismsthatwere
buriedtocreatethem.

CombustionandCO2Formation:
Insertyour12paragraphessayhere
Whenitcomestochemicalstructure,allfossilfuelsaremostlycomposedofhydrocarbons.
Hydrocarbonsarecompoundsmadeofonlycarbonandhydrogen,andduringcombustion
providecarbondioxide.Fossilfuelstendtofollowaverysimilarstructurewhencombustion
occursknownashydrocarboncombustion.Thisprocessishowenergyisattainedbythe
burningoffossilfuels.Combustionwithoxygenalwaysproducescarbondioxide,water,and
heat.Inthecombustionofmethane,whichis90%ofnaturalgas,onemoleculeofmethane
combineswithtwooxygenmolecules.Thereactionformsonecarbondioxidemoleculewhichis
typicallygivenoffaswatervaporthroughthereactionandenergy.Thecombustionreactionof
methaneisbrokenintostepstodemonstratetheuseandformationoftheenergyduringthis
process.ItstartsbytakingenergyinordertobreakallfouroftheCHbonds.Theunitsarein
kilojoule,andapositivesignmeanstheenergyisrequiredtobreakthebonds.Inotherwords,
thatmeanstheprocessisendothermic.Anexothermicprocessiswhentheformationofnew
bondsgiveoffheat.Thisnewformationcamefromvariousatomsthatformednewmoleculesof
carbondioxideandwater.Theoverallreactioncreatesanexcessenergyof802kj.Equalto
191kilocaloriesper16gramsofmethane.

CarbonDioxideConcentration&GreenhouseEffect:
Insertyour2paragraphessayhere:
Inthepasthalfmillionyears,therehasbeenasignificantcorrespondencebetweenthe
concentrationofcarbondioxideintheatmosphereandtemperature.Ancientbubblestrappedin
iceglaciersgiveusinsightonhowcarbondioxidelevelsintheatmospherearehigherthanever
beforefromnearly500,000yearsago.Carbondioxidelevelsaremeasuredbypartspermillion
(ppm).Theiceageshadanaverageof200ppm,thewarmerinterglacialperiodsroseitupto
280ppm,thecarbondioxidelevelsshotpastthe400ppmmarkin2013.Theppmjumpedfrom
300in1950to400inonly63years.Interestinglyenough,ascarbondioxidelevelshavealways
beenincorrelationwithtemperature.Ascarbondioxideconcentrationhasgoneup,temperature
goesupandwhencarbondioxidegoesdown,temperaturefollows.Thiscouldbemorethanjust
coincidence,itcouldbethatcarbondioxidelevelsactuallyaffectglobaltemperatures.One
possibilityofthisbeingthereasonisthroughaprocesscalledthegreenhouseeffect.

ThegreenhouseeffectiswhatmakestheEarthwarmer,andbecauseoftheincreaseofcarbon
dioxideandothergreenhousegasesintheatmosphere,thegreenhouseeffectisgetting
stronger.Anactualgreenhouseissimilartotheatmosphericprocess.Inagreenhouse,the

glassallowsthesunsraysinwhichwarmsthegroundinside.Theglassthenactsasabarrierto
keeptheheatinsidefrommixingwithcoolairoutside.Carbondioxideintheatmosphereacts
liketheglassinagreenhouseasitabsorbstheradiation.Asradiationmakesitswaybackinto
theatmosphere,carbondioxideabsorbsitandemitsitbacktoEarthasaconstantheating
processuntiliteventuallyleavestheatmosphere.

Section2:ClimateChange
EvidenceofClimateChange:
Insertyour5paragraphessayhere
Inthelastcentury,theEarthsclimatehasrisenatadangerouslyhighpace.Thisisdriven
primarilybythelargeamountsofcarbondioxideemissionsthatstemfromhumansburninghigh
levelsoffossilfuels.Inthefastpaced,energydrivenworldweliveintoday,fossilfuelsareused
atveryhighrates.Theburningfossilfuelshasbeencausingchangeinthelevelsofgreenhouse
gaseswithintheatmosphere.Theevidenceofclimatechangeisallaroundus.Itswhetheror
notyoudecidetotakenoticetoit.Threeverycurrentpiecesofevidencearethedeclineinarctic
seaice,shrinkingoflargeglaciers,andtheriseinsealevel.Allthreeofthesearecausedbythe
risingglobaltemperature.
Abruptclimatechangeisbecomingmoreapparenttodayonaworldwidescale,oneof
themostimmediateevidenceofclimatechangeisthelossofseaiceovertheArcticoceans.
AccordingtodatafromtheNationalSnowandIceDatacenter,from1979to2015,theresbeen
alargedropforArcticseaiceextentineachmonthoftheyear.Thereshouldbeanannual
consistencyfromhowmuchseaiceformsinthewinter,andhowmuchmeltsinthesummer.
Buteverydecade,arcticseaicedeclinesata13.3%rate.InSeptember,averageseaice
amountsdroppedtoanannuallow.Thatisfarbelowthearcticiceminimum,inotherwordsfar
belowwhereitshouldbe.Atthisrate,IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChangeestimatesa
20%decreaseinarcticiceby2050.
Inthepastthreedecades,glaciershavebeensignificantlydecreasinginnumberand
volumeworldwideandisanotherexampleofclimatechange.Glaciersaredisappearingfrom
theterrainsatarapidpace.ThetwolargestglaciersresidinginYosemiteNationalParkhave
lostapproximatelytwothirdsoftheiroriginalsurfaceareainthelastcentury.Otherlocationslike
GlacierNationalParkhadmanyglaciersatonetime,150glaciersin1850.Today,only25
remain.Asglobaltemperaturecontinuestowarm,someglacierslosevolumeatafasterrate
thanothers.Astudydoneof116glaciersinAlaskashowedthattheyvelostnearly75billion
metrictonsoficeeveryyearfrom1994to2013.Glaciershavewhitesurfacesthatreflectrays
fromthesun.Whenglaciersmelt,theyexposedarkersurfacesthatabsorbheat.Thisaddsto
theproblemsinceitraisesthetemperatureevenmore.
Thechangeinglobalclimateisalsoconnectedtotheriseinsealevels.Astheearths
globaltemperaturerises,thesealevelwouldriseaswell.Thiswouldhappenbecausewhen
waterheatsup,itexpandsthereforeoccupyingmorespace.Anotherpointistheglobal

temperaturewouldmeltglaciersandicesheets,addingtotheexistingwatercausingittorise
evenmore.Recently,highertemperatureshavecausedgreaterthanaveragemeltingof
glaciersandpolaricecaps.Accordingtoscientists,theGlobalMeanSeaLevelhasrisen4to8
inchesinthepastcentury.Andnow,theannualrisingratefromthepast20yearsis0.13
inches,doubletheaveragerate.
Theevidencepresentedmakesitclearthattheearthsclimateischangingatarapid
pace.Itsallaroundus,wejustneedtotakenotice.Theresthedeclineinarcticseaice,the
shrinkingoflargeglaciers,andtherisinginsealevels.Thesegrowingissuesarealldirect
resultsofglobalwarming.

Section3:Freshwater&OceanSystems
RoleofOceansinClimateChange:
Insertyour5paragraphessayhere

Asgreenhousegasemissionsoverthepastdecadeshavebeenrisingatrapidrates,it
wouldbeassumedthatairtemperatureswouldrisequicklytoo.Butoceanshavebeenslowing
theprocessofclimateinafewdifferentways.(namethreepoints)Themajorityofexcess
energytrappedbygreenhousegaseshasbeensoakedupbyearthsoceans.Overninetenths
ofouratmospheresexcessheatoverthedecadeshavebeenabsorbed.Butasthosegases
continuetobuildintheair,theoceansareheatingupfasteranddeeper.Recentresearch
showstheheatingrateoftheoceanoverthepastdecadehasaccumulatedmorethan2x10
23
joulesofenergy,theequivalentoffiveHiroshimabombsexplodingeverysecondsince1990.
Thereasontheoceaniseffectiveinstoringexcessenergyisbecauseoftheoceansheat
capacity.Theoceanshaveahugecapacityforisolatingheat,moresostoredinthedeepocean.
Itgetstherebecauseofa20to30yearcyclecalledtheInterdecadalPacificOscillation.It
pumpsatmosphericheatintothedeepwesternPacific.Butwhenthesemajorcurrentsthat
bringthewarmwaterintothedeepoceanbegintoslow,thestowedawayheatwillriseback
intotheatmosphere.
Arcticseaiceissimplyfrozenoceanwater.Itrunsacontinuousprocessasitforms,
builds,andmeltsintheocean.Astheearthabsorbsthesunsradiation,itbecomesheatenergy
asitwarmstheearthsatmosphericatmosphereandsurface.Sincearcticseaiceiswhite,it
reflectsthesunsraysworkingagainstsolarabsorption.Butwiththemorerecentdeclineinthe
regionsalbedoisaffectingitsreflectivity.Thealbedoisanondimensional,unitlessquantitythat
indicateshowwellasurfacereflectssolarenergyandgenerallyappliestovisiblelight.Seaice
tendstohaveahigheralbedocomparedtomanyearthsurfaces,evensurroundingoceans.A
usualoceanwillhaveanalbedoofaround0.06,onlyreflecting6percentofradiationand

absorbstherest..Ontheotherhand,seaicehasanalbedofromaround0.5to0.7,meaningit
reflects50to70percentoftravelingenergyandabsorbsverylittle.Astheclimatesystem
absorbsmoreofthesunsenergy,itkeepswarmingtheregion.Ineffect,arcticicehasbeen
shrinkingmoreandmoreinrecentdecades.OnSeptember11,2015,seaiceintheArctic
reachedanannualminimumextentof1.7millionsquaremiles.Scientistssaythatisthefourth
lowestextentonrecord,with10otherrecordsminimumsoccurringinthelast11years.A
positivefeedbackloopoccurswhenoneprocesscausesasecondprocesstohappen,then
causingthefirstprocesstohappenmorefrequently.Themeltingofseaiceisanexampleofa
positivefeedbackloop.Asseaicemelts,thereislessheatbeingreflectedbyicesomoreofthe
heatgetsabsorbedbythewater.Thiscausesoceanwatertowarmatafastratemakingseaice
meltsevenfaster.OvertheentiretyoftheArcticocean,10wattspersquaremeteristhe
approximateincreaserateofabsorbedsolarradiation.Andinthepastfewdecades,air
temperaturesarewarmingtwotothreetimesgreatercomparedtotherestoftheplanetcausing
thelossofseaiceextentfromSeptemberatarateof13percenteachdecade.
Overtime,theoceanhasaccumulatedalotofcarbondioxide,butnowthehighlevels
arehavingimpactsontheoceans.Sincethetimeoftheindustrialrevolution,onefourthof
carbondioxideproducedbyburningfuelshasbeenabsorbedintotheocean.Whencarbon
dioxidemixeswithwateritbecomesanacid,andanimalsoftheshellfishspeciesareparticularly
sensitivetooceanacidityasitcausescorrosiontotheirshells.Terrapodsareshowingsignsof
worndownshells,whichcouldultimatelyleadtotheirextinction.Thiswouldbeamajorproblem
sincetheyarethebasicfoodsourceforfish.Inmanypartsoftheworldfishisabasicfood
sourceforpeople,sothiswouldshakealargepartofthefoodwebandweakenit.Intheend,all
ofthesefossilfuelsthatweburninordertogainenergywillcomebackaroundandkickus
downfrombehind.