Year 8 - Science
Evidence for global warming
Climate change and greenhouse gases
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils learn about greenhouse gas emissions from transport and industry, and the use of renewable energy resources and changes to transport infrastructure that could reduce emissions.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe some evidence that global warming is caused by human activity.
Key Notes
- Global surface temperatures are calculated from tens of thousands of measurements worldwide
- Temperatures are compared with the long-term average for each region
- Since the industrial revolution, in the 1850s, overall global surface temperatures have been increasing
- Evidence from trees rings and ice cores provides data of longer-term changes in temperature
- Scientists can explain how increased levels of greenhouse gases contribute to global warming
Vocabulary To Learn
- global warming: an increase in Earth's average surface temperature
- global surface temperature: the average temperature of all the places on Earth's surface
- tree rings: a pattern of rings on the cross-section of tree trunk showing the yearly growth of the tree
- ice core: a long cylinder of ice drilled out of an ice sheet or glacier
- greenhouse gases: gases in the atmosphere that keep it warmer than it would be without them
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases will lower the global surface temperature.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the scientific idea in this lesson using two key points.
Global surface temperatures are calculated from tens of thousands of measurements worldwide. Temperatures are compared with the long-term average for each region.
2. Define this scientific word and use it in context. 'global warming'
an increase in Earth's average surface temperature. Include the word in a full scientific explanation, not as a single label.
3. Correct this common scientific misunderstanding.
Mistake: Reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases will lower the global surface temperature. Correction: Discuss the effect of adding greenhouse gases more slowly to what is already in the atmosphere. Task B is helpful for consolidating a better understanding of this.
More Lessons In This Unit
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