Question
1. When and why did coal become popular?
2. What made big factories possible? (Look in the “Industrial Revolution” column.)
Click the “Next” button on the bottom of the page to be taken to “The Story of Fossil Fuels, Part 2: Oil”.
3. What invention made the use of petroleum more popular?
4. What is petroleum?
5. What type of petroleum is used in cars?
Click the “Next” button on the bottom of the page to be taken to “The Story of Fossil Fuels, Part 3: Gas”.
6. What is natural gas used for today?
7. What is hydraulic fracturing?
8. Go back and look at the focus question (above) for this section. Answer it using evidence from the website.
Section Two Focus Question: How have greenhouse gases been affected by human activity?
Answer these questions using this website:
Read the “Today’s Climate Change” section.
9. What did people start doing over 100 years ago that has led to climate change?
10. What gas does the burning fossil fuels release into the atmosphere?
11. What are greenhouse gases? Do they exist naturally?
Click on the “The Greenhouse Effect” link at the bottom. Read the text. (Do not click on the video.)
12. What is the greenhouse effect?
Click on the link “Learn where the term “greenhouse effect” comes from” towards the bottom of the page.
13. Why is a greenhouse a good analogy for what's happening in the atmosphere?
Click on the oval “Greenhouse Gases” link towards the top right. Read the text.
Click on each part of the “Major Greenhouses Gases from People’s Activities” chart.
14. Where does carbon dioxide come from? How long does it stay around? (Click the section to see.)
15. Where does methane come from? How long does it stay in the atmosphere? (Click the section to see.)
Examine the “Source of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions” pie chart.
16. What are the top 3 sources of greenhouse gases? List the percent each contributes.
Click the oval “All About Carbon Dioxide” link towards the top right. Read the text. (Do not click the video.)
17. Where is carbon found on Earth? What cycle moves carbon from one part of the Earth to another?
18. How is burning fossil fuels affecting the carbon cycle?
Click the “Think Like a Scientist” tab at the top. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Learn about greenhouse gases in the atmosphere”.
19. How do scientists measure the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
20. Examine the “Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere” graph. Describe recent carbon dioxide levels.
21. Go back and look at the focus question (above) for this section. Answer it using evidence from the website.
Section Three Focus Question: How do we know the climate is changing?
Answer the questions below by going back to the website:
Click on the “Big Questions” tab. Then, click on the box that says “What is climate change?”.
22. What is happening to the temperature of planet Earth?
Click on the “Big Questions” tab again. Click on the box that says “How do we know the climate is changing?”.
23. How do scientists use ice cores to study carbon dioxide levels?
24. Watch the Arctic Ice animation on this page. What has been different about Arctic ice since 1979?
25. How does the sea level tell us that the climate is getting warmer?
Navigate back to the website from earlier:
Click the “Think Like a Scientist” tab at the top. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Examine the clues of climate change”.
26. Use the magnifying glass to find 11 signs of climate change. Write each one in the space below.
Click the “Think Like a Scientist” tab again. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Find out how we know that today's climate change is caused by people putting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere”.
27. Click on each factor that could affect the Earth’s climate. Complete the grid below.
Factor
Is this a cause of climate change? Provide a quick explanation for your answer.
The Sun
Earth’s Orbit
Volcanoes
28. Go back and look at the focus question for this section. Answer it using evidence from the websites.
Section Four Focus Question: What are the effects of climate change?
Click the “See the Impacts” tab at the top. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Find out how these changes will affect people and the environment”. Click on the different parts of the picture.
29. Complete the grid with information from each potential effect of climate change.
What’s at stake?
What can people do about it?
Health
Agriculture
Energy
Water Supplies
Plants, Animals & Ecosystems
Forests
Coastal Areas
Recreation
2. What made big factories possible? (Look in the “Industrial Revolution” column.)
Click the “Next” button on the bottom of the page to be taken to “The Story of Fossil Fuels, Part 2: Oil”.
3. What invention made the use of petroleum more popular?
4. What is petroleum?
5. What type of petroleum is used in cars?
Click the “Next” button on the bottom of the page to be taken to “The Story of Fossil Fuels, Part 3: Gas”.
6. What is natural gas used for today?
7. What is hydraulic fracturing?
8. Go back and look at the focus question (above) for this section. Answer it using evidence from the website.
Section Two Focus Question: How have greenhouse gases been affected by human activity?
Answer these questions using this website:
Read the “Today’s Climate Change” section.
9. What did people start doing over 100 years ago that has led to climate change?
10. What gas does the burning fossil fuels release into the atmosphere?
11. What are greenhouse gases? Do they exist naturally?
Click on the “The Greenhouse Effect” link at the bottom. Read the text. (Do not click on the video.)
12. What is the greenhouse effect?
Click on the link “Learn where the term “greenhouse effect” comes from” towards the bottom of the page.
13. Why is a greenhouse a good analogy for what's happening in the atmosphere?
Click on the oval “Greenhouse Gases” link towards the top right. Read the text.
Click on each part of the “Major Greenhouses Gases from People’s Activities” chart.
14. Where does carbon dioxide come from? How long does it stay around? (Click the section to see.)
15. Where does methane come from? How long does it stay in the atmosphere? (Click the section to see.)
Examine the “Source of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions” pie chart.
16. What are the top 3 sources of greenhouse gases? List the percent each contributes.
Click the oval “All About Carbon Dioxide” link towards the top right. Read the text. (Do not click the video.)
17. Where is carbon found on Earth? What cycle moves carbon from one part of the Earth to another?
18. How is burning fossil fuels affecting the carbon cycle?
Click the “Think Like a Scientist” tab at the top. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Learn about greenhouse gases in the atmosphere”.
19. How do scientists measure the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?
20. Examine the “Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere” graph. Describe recent carbon dioxide levels.
21. Go back and look at the focus question (above) for this section. Answer it using evidence from the website.
Section Three Focus Question: How do we know the climate is changing?
Answer the questions below by going back to the website:
Click on the “Big Questions” tab. Then, click on the box that says “What is climate change?”.
22. What is happening to the temperature of planet Earth?
Click on the “Big Questions” tab again. Click on the box that says “How do we know the climate is changing?”.
23. How do scientists use ice cores to study carbon dioxide levels?
24. Watch the Arctic Ice animation on this page. What has been different about Arctic ice since 1979?
25. How does the sea level tell us that the climate is getting warmer?
Navigate back to the website from earlier:
Click the “Think Like a Scientist” tab at the top. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Examine the clues of climate change”.
26. Use the magnifying glass to find 11 signs of climate change. Write each one in the space below.
Click the “Think Like a Scientist” tab again. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Find out how we know that today's climate change is caused by people putting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere”.
27. Click on each factor that could affect the Earth’s climate. Complete the grid below.
Factor
Is this a cause of climate change? Provide a quick explanation for your answer.
The Sun
Earth’s Orbit
Volcanoes
28. Go back and look at the focus question for this section. Answer it using evidence from the websites.
Section Four Focus Question: What are the effects of climate change?
Click the “See the Impacts” tab at the top. Then, click the link at the bottom of that page that says “Find out how these changes will affect people and the environment”. Click on the different parts of the picture.
29. Complete the grid with information from each potential effect of climate change.
What’s at stake?
What can people do about it?
Health
Agriculture
Energy
Water Supplies
Plants, Animals & Ecosystems
Forests
Coastal Areas
Recreation
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Sure! While I can't directly access the website or specific content from it, I can provide general answers based on common knowledge in science and the effects of fossil fuels and climate change.
### Section One
1. **When and why did coal become popular?**
- Coal became popular during the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It became the primary energy source because it was abundant, energy-dense, and could be used to power steam engines, generate electricity, and fuel iron production.
2. **What made big factories possible?**
- The development of machines powered by steam engines, which in turn relied on coal, allowed for increased production efficiency and scaling up of manufacturing processes, making big factories feasible.
3. **What invention made the use of petroleum more popular?**
- The internal combustion engine significantly increased the popularity of petroleum, as it became the primary fuel for automobiles, revolutionizing transportation.
4. **What is petroleum?**
- Petroleum is a naturally occurring liquid found beneath the Earth's surface, composed of hydrocarbons and other organic materials. It is formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms subjected to heat and pressure.
5. **What type of petroleum is used in cars?**
- Gasoline is the type of petroleum refined and used as fuel in cars.
6. **What is natural gas used for today?**
- Natural gas is used for heating, electricity generation, and as a fuel for vehicles. It is also used in industries for manufacturing and as a chemical feedstock.
7. **What is hydraulic fracturing?**
- Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method used to extract natural gas from underground rock formations by injecting high-pressure fluid to create fractures in the rock.
8. **Answer to focus question: How have greenhouse gases been affected by human activity?**
- Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy, have increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, notably carbon dioxide and methane, contributing to climate change.
### Section Two
9. **What did people start doing over 100 years ago that has led to climate change?**
- People began burning fossil fuels on a large scale for energy production, industrial processes, and transportation.
10. **What gas does the burning fossil fuels release into the atmosphere?**
- Burning fossil fuels primarily releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.
11. **What are greenhouse gases? Do they exist naturally?**
- Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, including CO2, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water vapor. Yes, they exist naturally and are essential for maintaining the Earth’s temperature.
12. **What is the greenhouse effect?**
- The greenhouse effect is the process by which certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere trap heat, allowing the planet to maintain a temperature suitable for life.
13. **Why is a greenhouse a good analogy for what's happening in the atmosphere?**
- A greenhouse allows sunlight to enter and traps heat inside, similar to how greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, preventing it from escaping back into space.
14. **Where does carbon dioxide come from? How long does it stay around?**
- Carbon dioxide comes from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and some industrial processes. It can remain in the atmosphere for hundreds to thousands of years.
15. **Where does methane come from? How long does it stay in the atmosphere?**
- Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as from livestock and other agricultural practices. It lasts around 12 years in the atmosphere.
16. **What are the top 3 sources of greenhouse gases? List the percent each contributes.**
- While the specific percentages may vary, typically the top three sources are:
- Electricity generation (around 30-40%),
- Transportation (around 25-30%),
- Industry (around 20%).
17. **Where is carbon found on Earth? What cycle moves carbon from one part of the Earth to another?**
- Carbon is found in the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms. The carbon cycle moves carbon between these reservoirs through processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
18. **How is burning fossil fuels affecting the carbon cycle?**
- Burning fossil fuels adds more carbon to the atmosphere than is removed by natural processes, disrupting the carbon cycle and contributing to global warming.
19. **How do scientists measure the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?**
- Scientists use air samples collected from various locations and modern instruments like spectrometers to measure the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
20. **Describe recent carbon dioxide levels.**
- Recent carbon dioxide levels have been consistently rising, with measurements often exceeding 400 parts per million (ppm) in recent years.
21. **Answer to focus question: How have greenhouse gases been affected by human activity?**
- Human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels, have significantly increased atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, which in turn contribute to climate change.
### Section Three
22. **What is happening to the temperature of planet Earth?**
- The temperature of Earth is rising, with an increase of about 1.2 degrees Celsius since the late 19th century due to human-induced climate change.
23. **How do scientists use ice cores to study carbon dioxide levels?**
- Scientists analyze trapped air bubbles in ice cores taken from glaciers and ice sheets, which provide historical data on carbon dioxide levels over thousands of years.
24. **What has been different about Arctic ice since 1979?**
- Arctic ice has been decreasing significantly in both extent and thickness since 1979 due to rising temperatures.
25. **How does the sea level tell us that the climate is getting warmer?**
- Rising sea levels, resulting from melting ice and thermal expansion of seawater due to warming, indicate that the climate is warming.
### Section Four
29. **Complete the grid with information from potential effects of climate change.**
| What's at stake? | What can people do about it? |
|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Health**: Increased respiratory issues and heat-related illnesses. | Promote clean air initiatives and reduce pollution sources. |
| **Agriculture**: Changes in crop yields potentially leading to food shortages. | Implement sustainable farming practices and improve crop resilience. |
| **Energy**: Increased demand for cooling leading to energy shortages. | Invest in renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency. |
| **Water Supplies**: Diminished freshwater availability and quality. | Conserve water and enhance water management practices. |
| **Plants, Animals & Ecosystems**: Loss of biodiversity and habitat. | Protect natural habitats and promote conservation efforts. |
| **Forests**: Increased wildfires and deforestation. | Support sustainable forestry and reforestation projects. |
| **Coastal Areas**: Increased flooding and habitat loss due to sea-level rise. | Build resilient infrastructure and protect coastal ecosystems. |
| **Recreation**: Loss of outdoor recreational activities. | Advocate for sustainable tourism and environmental conservation. |
Feel free to clarify if you have specific details or areas you'd like to explore further!
### Section One
1. **When and why did coal become popular?**
- Coal became popular during the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It became the primary energy source because it was abundant, energy-dense, and could be used to power steam engines, generate electricity, and fuel iron production.
2. **What made big factories possible?**
- The development of machines powered by steam engines, which in turn relied on coal, allowed for increased production efficiency and scaling up of manufacturing processes, making big factories feasible.
3. **What invention made the use of petroleum more popular?**
- The internal combustion engine significantly increased the popularity of petroleum, as it became the primary fuel for automobiles, revolutionizing transportation.
4. **What is petroleum?**
- Petroleum is a naturally occurring liquid found beneath the Earth's surface, composed of hydrocarbons and other organic materials. It is formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms subjected to heat and pressure.
5. **What type of petroleum is used in cars?**
- Gasoline is the type of petroleum refined and used as fuel in cars.
6. **What is natural gas used for today?**
- Natural gas is used for heating, electricity generation, and as a fuel for vehicles. It is also used in industries for manufacturing and as a chemical feedstock.
7. **What is hydraulic fracturing?**
- Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method used to extract natural gas from underground rock formations by injecting high-pressure fluid to create fractures in the rock.
8. **Answer to focus question: How have greenhouse gases been affected by human activity?**
- Human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) for energy, have increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, notably carbon dioxide and methane, contributing to climate change.
### Section Two
9. **What did people start doing over 100 years ago that has led to climate change?**
- People began burning fossil fuels on a large scale for energy production, industrial processes, and transportation.
10. **What gas does the burning fossil fuels release into the atmosphere?**
- Burning fossil fuels primarily releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.
11. **What are greenhouse gases? Do they exist naturally?**
- Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, including CO2, methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and water vapor. Yes, they exist naturally and are essential for maintaining the Earth’s temperature.
12. **What is the greenhouse effect?**
- The greenhouse effect is the process by which certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere trap heat, allowing the planet to maintain a temperature suitable for life.
13. **Why is a greenhouse a good analogy for what's happening in the atmosphere?**
- A greenhouse allows sunlight to enter and traps heat inside, similar to how greenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, preventing it from escaping back into space.
14. **Where does carbon dioxide come from? How long does it stay around?**
- Carbon dioxide comes from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and some industrial processes. It can remain in the atmosphere for hundreds to thousands of years.
15. **Where does methane come from? How long does it stay in the atmosphere?**
- Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, oil, and natural gas, as well as from livestock and other agricultural practices. It lasts around 12 years in the atmosphere.
16. **What are the top 3 sources of greenhouse gases? List the percent each contributes.**
- While the specific percentages may vary, typically the top three sources are:
- Electricity generation (around 30-40%),
- Transportation (around 25-30%),
- Industry (around 20%).
17. **Where is carbon found on Earth? What cycle moves carbon from one part of the Earth to another?**
- Carbon is found in the atmosphere, oceans, soil, and living organisms. The carbon cycle moves carbon between these reservoirs through processes like photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
18. **How is burning fossil fuels affecting the carbon cycle?**
- Burning fossil fuels adds more carbon to the atmosphere than is removed by natural processes, disrupting the carbon cycle and contributing to global warming.
19. **How do scientists measure the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?**
- Scientists use air samples collected from various locations and modern instruments like spectrometers to measure the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
20. **Describe recent carbon dioxide levels.**
- Recent carbon dioxide levels have been consistently rising, with measurements often exceeding 400 parts per million (ppm) in recent years.
21. **Answer to focus question: How have greenhouse gases been affected by human activity?**
- Human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels, have significantly increased atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, which in turn contribute to climate change.
### Section Three
22. **What is happening to the temperature of planet Earth?**
- The temperature of Earth is rising, with an increase of about 1.2 degrees Celsius since the late 19th century due to human-induced climate change.
23. **How do scientists use ice cores to study carbon dioxide levels?**
- Scientists analyze trapped air bubbles in ice cores taken from glaciers and ice sheets, which provide historical data on carbon dioxide levels over thousands of years.
24. **What has been different about Arctic ice since 1979?**
- Arctic ice has been decreasing significantly in both extent and thickness since 1979 due to rising temperatures.
25. **How does the sea level tell us that the climate is getting warmer?**
- Rising sea levels, resulting from melting ice and thermal expansion of seawater due to warming, indicate that the climate is warming.
### Section Four
29. **Complete the grid with information from potential effects of climate change.**
| What's at stake? | What can people do about it? |
|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Health**: Increased respiratory issues and heat-related illnesses. | Promote clean air initiatives and reduce pollution sources. |
| **Agriculture**: Changes in crop yields potentially leading to food shortages. | Implement sustainable farming practices and improve crop resilience. |
| **Energy**: Increased demand for cooling leading to energy shortages. | Invest in renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency. |
| **Water Supplies**: Diminished freshwater availability and quality. | Conserve water and enhance water management practices. |
| **Plants, Animals & Ecosystems**: Loss of biodiversity and habitat. | Protect natural habitats and promote conservation efforts. |
| **Forests**: Increased wildfires and deforestation. | Support sustainable forestry and reforestation projects. |
| **Coastal Areas**: Increased flooding and habitat loss due to sea-level rise. | Build resilient infrastructure and protect coastal ecosystems. |
| **Recreation**: Loss of outdoor recreational activities. | Advocate for sustainable tourism and environmental conservation. |
Feel free to clarify if you have specific details or areas you'd like to explore further!