NAME_______________________ Pd.

_________

Date_____________

Climate Change Web-Quest

Directions- Go to: and using the information of the website, answer the following
questions. Write your answers in the space provided.

Key Indicators
1) What is carbon dioxide (CO2) and where does it usually come from?
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important heat-trapping (greenhouse) gas, which is released
through human activities such as deforestation and burning fossil fuels, as well as natural
processes such as respiration and volcanic eruptions.
2) According to the CO2 charts, what was the highest level of CO2 in the 400,000 years
prior to 1950?
About 325,000 years prior to 1950, was the highest level of CO2.
3) According to the charts, what is the level of CO2 today?
It is doubled than it was 325,000 years old.
4) Based on the information on the page, why is this level of CO2 a problem?
This level of CO2 can cause high rates of global warming, and can rise global
temperatures.
5) According to the charts on Arctic Sea Ice, what has been the overall trend since 1980?
It has been rising and lowering, however since 2001 it has been declining sharply.
6) What trend can be observed for land ice?
Land Ice has been decreasing at a fast rate, due to rising temperature.
7) What trend can be observed for sea level?
Sea levels have been rising, due to the melting ice. However, since October 2016 there
has been a slight decrease.
8) What overall conclusion can you make based on the data of these three charts?
Due to rising CO2 levels global warming (temperature) has cause severe problems with
Ice (both Sea and Land Ice) to melt, therefore rising sea level.

Evidence
9) What are eight areas that scientists look at for evidence of global warming?
Sea Level Rise, Global Temperature Rise, Warming Oceans, shrinking ice sheets,
Declining Arctic Sea Ice, Glacial Retreat, Extreme Events, Ocean Acidification,
Decreased snow cover.

Causes
10) What are the five common gases that cause global warming?
Water Vapor, Nitrous Oxide (N2O), Methane (CH4), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and CFCs

Effects
11) According to the effects page, what effect will climate change have on water
availability?
Water Availability will decrease, due to changes in precipitation patterns, there will be
more heat wave and droughts (really bad for California.)
12) What visible changes have already occurred due to climate change?
Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal
ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner.

Consensus
13) What percentage of scientists agree that climate change is due to human activity?
97 percent.

Innovations
14) Describe three innovations in energy that could help the world become independent
of fossil fuels.

Electric Cars, Solar Panels, Water Electricity.