Global Warming and Climate Change Demystified by Silver, Jerry -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Page Global Warming and Climate Change Demystified Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgments CHAPTER 1 Global Perspective—Thinking about the Earth PART ONE WHAT WE KNOW AND HOW WE KNOW IT

CHAPTER 2 Taking the Earth’s Temperature

Global Temperature Measurement—The Basics How Is the Earth’s Temperature Changing? Going Back in Time—The Next Best Thing to Having a Thermometer Different Places, Different Temperature Changes What the Data Are Telling Us Cause and Effect Key Ideas Review Questions

CHAPTER 3 Signs of Global Warming

Direct and Indirect Evidence The Oceans Melting Ice and Snow Impact on Wildlife—Some Examples Wacky Weather Key Ideas Review Questions

PART TWO WHY CLIMATE CHANGES

CHAPTER 4 The Earth’s Thermostat—Keeping the Earth Warm

The Earth’s Orbit How the Sun Warms the Earth Natural Climate Cycles Distribution of Heat around the Earth—Thermohaline Circulation and the Gulf Stream Key Points Review Questions

CHAPTER 5 Greenhouse Chemistry

Gases in the Atmosphere Generating Carbon Dioxide Absorption of Light by Gases in the Atmosphere Trace Gases with a Major Potential Impact Carbon Sinks Comparison of Fuels The Effect of Increasing Concentration Isotopes—Determining How Old Something Is Key Ideas Review Questions

CHAPTER 6 Origin and Impact of Greenhouse Gases

What People Add to Nature’s Greenhouse How Do We Know Where the Greenhouse Gases Come From? Human Fingerprints versus Nature’s Pawprints How the Greenhouse Gases Affect the Atmosphere Where the Human-Added Greenhouse Gases Come From World Energy Use Defining the Problem—Key Ideas Review Questions

PART THREE WHAT WE CAN EXPECT AND WHAT WE CAN DO

CHAPTER 7 Consequences of Global Warming

Climate Models How Much and How Soon Will Climate Change? Impacts of Climate Change Regional Climate Changes Back to the Future—Will the Past Repeat Itself? Results of Climate Models—Levels of Certainty1 Key Ideas Review Questions

CHAPTER 8 Resetting the Earth’s Thermostat—Solutions

Electrical Power: The Problem with Coal Transportation—The Problem with Oil Steps Toward a Solution Stepping Up to the Plate—Taking Action Emissions Trading—Cap and Trade Turing Your Money “Green” Adaptation—Global Band-Aids So Crazy It Just Might Work What You Can Do—Individual Actions Final Thoughts Key Ideas Review Questions

Final Exam APPENDIX A Glossary APPENDIX B Milestones in the History of Climate Change APPENDIX C Satellites That Monitor Weather and Climate APPENDIX D Units of Measurement Applied to Climate Change

Temperature Units Measurement of Wavelength Energy and Power Examples of the Use of Prefixes

APPENDIX E Selected Resources

Publications Web Sites

APPENDIX F Summary of Key Climate Variables APPENDIX G Lingering Doubts and Concerns APPENDIX H Answers to Chapter Review Questions APPENDIX I Answers to Final Exam Index ch07fn01 ch8fn01 ch8fn02 ch8fn03 ch8fn04 ch8fn05 ch8fn06 ch8fn07