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Positive and Negative Feedback Worksheet

The document discusses various climate feedback cycles and whether they have a positive or negative impact on global warming. It analyzes factors like oceans, clouds, pollution, polar ice, forests, and tundra. For example, it states that warmer oceans release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, acting as a positive feedback cycle. Meanwhile, increased cloud cover from more evaporation can have both warming and cooling effects depending on cloud type and location.

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Anika Hinkova
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78 views2 pages

Positive and Negative Feedback Worksheet

The document discusses various climate feedback cycles and whether they have a positive or negative impact on global warming. It analyzes factors like oceans, clouds, pollution, polar ice, forests, and tundra. For example, it states that warmer oceans release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, acting as a positive feedback cycle. Meanwhile, increased cloud cover from more evaporation can have both warming and cooling effects depending on cloud type and location.

Uploaded by

Anika Hinkova
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name:_____________________ Feedback cycles and Climate Change

Factor Change Positive or Feedback cycle


negative
feedback?
Oceans Oceans are a carbon sink containing 50
times the amount of carbon as the
atmosphere. They release more carbon
dioxide to the atmosphere as they warm up,
as warm liquids hold less gas.

Stalling of the North Atlantic Drift could


reduce transfer of heat to the North and
increase temperatures dramatically.

Huge amount of methane are frozen in the


methane clathrates (methane is trapped
within a crystal structure of water) in the
ocean sediments. If these are released, the
volume of methane in the atmosphere will
increase dramatically.

Oceans absorb more CO2 in warmer water


as phytoplankton photosynthesis faster,
producing more phytoplankton that absorb
more CO2 so dampening global warming.

Clouds More evaporation leads to more clouds,


which reflect more heat. (In the light, clouds
reflect the Sun’s radiation. Low, this clouds
have more of a cooling effect).

More evaporation leads to more clouds,


which trap more heat. (In the dark, clouds
keep heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. High,
thin clouds have more of a warming effect).

Pollution At night, cloud formation increased by


aerosols acts as insulation, trapping heat.
More clouds = more heat trapped.

Aerosols from pollution, particularly


sulphates, form condensation nuclei and
more clouds form. These reflect heat and
increase albedo, reducing warming in the
day.

Black soot falling on ice decreases albedo.


Increasing heat absorption, increasing
temperature and melting.

Polar ice Ice has a high albedo – it reflects heat and


loght. When it melts, the sea or land have a
lower albedo and absorb more heat and
more ice melts.

Warmer air carries more water vapour, so


there is more precipitation. Some of this will
fall as snow, causing more reflection. This
lowers temperatures and leads to an
increase in snow and ice.

Forests forests act as a carbon sink, removing CO2


from the atmosphere, so temperature rise
decreases.

Forests are cut down and burned. Less CO2


is absorbed. More CO2 in the atmosphere
leads to higher temperatures. Forests die
due to high temperature and may catch fire.
More CO2 is released, temperature rises.

Tundra As temperatures rise, permafrost melts,


releasing CO2 which is trapped in the frozen
soil. Methane is also released.

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