The lecture content and videos listed (i.e. The Past, Hockey Stick and Models )
ID: 159753 • Letter: T
Question
The lecture content and videos listed (i.e. The Past, Hockey Stick and Models) describe various ways in which scientists can use evidence from the past in order to scientifically predict the climate of the future. Please use the aforementioned evidence to answer the following TWO (2) questions on the answer sheet provided. Upload your responses onto MOODLE as a Word document.
1) The Medieval Climate Anomaly has been used to explain global warming as a natural event. What is the logic behind this and why is it WRONG?
2) Describe why attributing global warming to natural climate cycles is NOT supported by the evidence.
Explanation / Answer
1.
Medieval Warm period (800-1400) was the warmest period when compared to the present period, characterized by global warming. The medieval warm period showed high temperatures in some places on the Earth. The high temperature that occurred during this period was due to average incoming solar radiation and less volcanic activity.
The medieval period also showed a cooler temperature at some places on the Earth. Hence, the medieval warm period cannot be compared with the present period of global warming, because the medieval warm period experienced both high as well as low temperatures, whereas the present era of global warming only experiences high temperatures, throughout the Earth.
2.
The phenomena of global warming cannot be compared with the natural climatic events. In the phenomena of global warming, the gases present in the atmosphere absorb infrared radiations from the Sun, and there is a uniform rise of temperature throughout the Earth, whereas natural climatic changes include high and low temperatures based on the seasons (summer and winter). Hence, natural climatic events cannot be compared with global warming.
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