Notes

Temperature Notes *see link: http://savannahbest10.wikispaces.com/Group+work

Natural Causes of Climate Change (the WATER CYCLE) Notes What is the WATER CYCLE?  The water cycle describes the circulation of water on, above, and below Earth’s surface. · Water can change states among liquid, vapor, and ice at various places in the water cycle   · Precipitation brings water down to Earth’s surface · Some of the precipitation  runs off the land and into the bodies of water · Evaporation returns water to atmosphere What does this have to do with CLIMATE CHANGE? · High temperatures increase the evaporation of water and the capacity of air to hold water <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">vapour <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 11.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As surface temperatures rise, so does the amount of water <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">vapour <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> in the atmosphere <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 11.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The atmosphere holds more water <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">vapour <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> and traps more thermal energy as the average yearly temperatures increases <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 11.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The resulting increase in temperature at Earth’s surface causes even more water to evaporate <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">(without the cooling effect of evaporation the greenhouse effect would lead to a much higher surface temperature, and a warmer planet) Key Facts to Remember <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Water <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA;">Vapour <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> (H20) is the most abundant greenhouse gas (gases in Earth’s atmosphere that absorb and trap radiation as thermal energy) <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif';"> <span style="height: 2px; left: -14px; mso-ignore: vglayout; msoignore: vglayout; position: absolute; top: -1px; width: 648px; z-index: 4;"> <span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic','sans-serif';">