Question

How do we know what past climates were like? What techniques are used to learn about the past climates and environments? Are global warming and the greenhouse effectthe same thing? EXPLAIN the reasoning. Are human activities responsible for the changing climate? If so how and how much responsibility do we have? Is there anything we can do about changing climate, if so what? Has climate changed in the geologocal past, before humans ever came on the scene? If so, how did it change?

Answer 1

How do we know what past climates were like?

Information about past climate is obtained from assembling parts of the evidence that are formed together from various sources. They include Ice cores: It is the ratio of oxygen isotopes in ice that indicates the temperature at the time ice gets deposited as snow.

What techniques are used to learn about past climates and environments?

Paleoclimatologists (Scientists who study the climate) have several means of measuring the changes in climate. These include taking ice core samples, and then by observing the remnant glacial landforms, and also by surveying the sediment on the ocean floor and studying the fossils of ancient vegetation.

Are global warming and the greenhouse effect the same thing?

No, global warming and the greenhouse effect, the same thing doesn't affect the same thing. The greenhouse effect is a natural process in certain gases in our atmosphere, like water vapor, methane, and carbon dioxide. It retains some of the infrared radiation that is emitted by our Earth. This process can be maintained by the Earth's average surface temperature at about 60 F, which makes life possible. Without it, the Earth would be too cold for life to have developed here. Global warming occurs/formed when the greenhouse effect increases in strength that causes the surface temperature to rise beyond our "comfort zone."

Explain the reasoning. Are human activities responsible for the changing climate?

Human activities will be contributed to climatic change that causes a change in the Earth's atmosphere in the amounts of greenhouse gases, cloudiness, and aerosols (small particles). The more quantity of contribution comes from the burning of fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide (CO2) gas into the atmosphere.