II. Answer the following questions using information from Part II of the movie:
ID: 291913 • Letter: I
Question
II. Answer the following questions using information from Part II of the movie:
14. What effect does global warming have on amount of precipitation (rain)? What evidence exists to support this?
15. What effect does global warming have on oceans? What effect does it have on soil?
16. What is the first of the two ‘canaries in the coal mine’?
17. What is expected to happen to the Arctic ice cap during summers in the next 50 to 70 years?
18. What effect does the Arctic ice cap have on the sun’s rays? What would happen to the sun’s rays if the ice were to melt?
19. What could happen as a result of a 5°F increase in average global temperature?
20. What happened when the glaciers from the last ice age melted and poured into the north Atlantic Ocean? What could happen in the future if the Greenland ice cap were to do the same thing?
21. According to the movie, what country is the worst contributor to global warming?
22. How many new diseases have emerged in the past quarter century?
23. What is the second of the two ‘canaries in the coal mine’? What is its ‘alarm bell’ for global warming?
24. What effect does the melting of floating sea-based ice have on land-based ice?
25. What is believed would happen to coastal regions throughout the world if Greenland’s ice were to melt? How many people would this effect?
26. What has happened to Earth’s population in the last 60 years? What is expected to happen to population by 2050?
27. What does Gore mean by “Old Habits + New Technology = Dramatically Altered Consequences”? What example does he use to explain this?
III. Answer the following questions using information from Part III of the movie: 28. What percentage does the United States contribute to global warming? How do our emissions compare to other regions of the world?
29. In the study of scientific articles on global warming, what percentage was found to disagree with consensus on global warming?
30. Why does Gore believe the choice between the economy (“gold bars”) and the Earth is a false choice?
31. How do mileage standards for cars in the United States compare to mileage standards for cars in other parts of the world?
32. What are two technologies Gore suggests we can use to decrease carbon emissions?
33. Who are the only two nations in the world who did not ratified the Kyoto Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions?
34. What are three examples of the United States taking and solving difficult problems in the past?
35. What idea is Gore hoping to get across by quoting Carl Sagan’s famous “pale blue dot” statement?
IV. Answer the following questions about global warming using ideas from the movie: 36. What are three suggestions made by the movie to help people reduce their carbon emissions?
37. How does Gore relate his family’s tobacco farm and the death of his sister due to smoking to the situation we now face as a society with global warming?
38. Why do you think American politicians have avoided taking on the issue of global warming for so many years?
39. Why do you think energy companies and politicians have purposely tried to introduce doubt and disagreement into reporting on global warming?
40. Overall, what did you think of the movie? Do you think it was worthwhile to watch in class
Explanation / Answer
14. What effect does global warming have on amount of precipitation (rain)? What evidence exists to support this?
Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of the Earth's climate. Changes in rainfall and other forms of precipitation determine the impact of climate change.
If the atmosphere is warmer then it can hold more moisture, and therefore water vapour increases.
There is evidence to show that regions that are wet will get more wetter. Global warming not only cause more flooding, but also more drought.
- A lot of flooding in China.
- The dry regions of the subtropics get drier and shift towards the poles.
- In Europe drier summers over central and southern Europe.
15. What effect does global warming have on oceans? What effect does it have on soil?
A) Effect of global warming on oceans :
Greenhouse gases trap more energy from the sun therefore, oceans are absorbing more heat, that results in an increase in sea surface temperatures, so there is rising of sea level.
Changes in ocean temperatures will cause alterations in climate patterns around the world.
B) Effect of global warming on soil :
Global warming sucks moisture out of the soil. Soil evaporation increases with higher temperatures and therefore affects us.
Soil contains carbon in the form of organic matter that provides nutrients for plant growth and therefore improves soil fertility and water movement. Because of soil erosion there is depletion of amount of carbon in soil. It causes
soil fertility and plant growth.
16. What is the first of the two ‘canaries in the coal mine’?
Two canaries in the coal mine. The 1st is in the Arctic. Arctic Ocean has a floating ice cap, Greenland on its side. It is canary in the coal mine as the Arctic is one part of the world that is experiencing faster impact from global warming.
17. What is expected to happen to the Arctic ice cap during summers in the next 50 to 70 years?
From 1970 there was drop off in the thickness of the Arctic ice cap. In the next 50 to 70 years, when the sun rays hit the ice, more than 90 % of it bounces back into space like a mirror. But when it hits the open ocean more than 90 % is absorbed. When surrounding water gets warmer, it increases the melting of the ice. If there is a faster heat in the Arctic Ocean then creatures like polar bears that depend on the ice will be affected and that affect us also....