Reference no: EM132326864

An Inconvenient Truth

Study Questions

1. Why is Earth's atmosphere so vulnerable?

2. What is the significance of Keeling's carbon dioxide concentration data? What do they show us? How long has this data set been accumulating?

3. Look at the "before" and "after" photos of the Earth's glaciers. What are two of the problems that can result as a consequence of this melting?

4. How does global warming affect climate (amount of rainfall, impact of catastrophic storms, frequency of flooding, extent of drought, etc.)?

5. What is a "canary in a coal mine?" The film identifies the Arctic and the Antarctic as two "canaries." Explain.

6. What is "permafrost"? Do we have evidence that global warming is affecting the permafrost? Explain.

7. How are seasons (duration; timing of) being affected by global warming?

8. How does the Arctic ice cap help to keep the Earth cooler than if this area was filled by liquid water?

9. Based on Earth's current distribution of heat, a 5°F average global increase would result in a 1°F increase at the equator and a 12°F increase at the poles. Explain.

10. Why does seawater sink near Greenland? What affects the density of seawater?

11. How does global change affect ecological systems that rely upon migrations?

12. Southern California's recent problem with hark beetles has been attributed to global warming. Explain.

13. What has a greater impact on sea level change: the melting of sea-based ice or the melting of land-based ice? Explain.

14. What is the predicted consequence of the melting of Greenland's ice?

15. Explain how the "frog in hot water" analogy relates to our society's interpretation of global warming.

16. Hpw do U.S. automobile mileage standards compare to those of other countries? Why?

17. How can each of us reduce our own carbon dioxide emissions? Identify three choices that you can make to support a reduction in the earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.

18. Identify one global problem that our society has successfully tackled (overcome) that was believed to be too big to solve.