Environmental Change Flocabulary

Global warming means that

• every year Earth is getting warmer.

• the average annual temperature of Earth's atmosphere is gradually rising.

• Earth is producing more heat than it used to produce.

• the equatorial region of Earth is heating faster than the polar regions.

A record of Earth's long-ago weather can be found by digging into the

• polar ice cap in Antarctica.

• lava from volcanoes.

• sand bars in tropical waters.

• melting permafrost in Alaska, Canada, and Siberia.

Carbon dioxide is

• a toxic gas produced by landfills.

• produced by plants during photosynthesis.

• needed by industry to power generators.

• a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere.

Which of these is not a human activity that impacts the environment?

• transportation

• construction

• photosynthesis

• manufacturing

True or False: Growing crops raises the carbon levels and causes global warming.

• true

• false

In a symbiotic relationship,

• a parasite eats its host.

• there are too many carbon emissions in the atmosphere.

• the environment is rapidly thrown out of balance.

• two organisms depend on each other for survival.

Environments can change gradually over time, such as when a pond fills in and a swamp grows in its place. This process is called

• pollution.

• ecological succession.

• adaptation.

• symbiosis.

Dangerous substances in an ecosystem that are harmful to its organisms are

• sediments.

• scavengers.

• pollutants.

• overpopulation.

How does the ozone layer protect life on Earth?

• It shields bacteria in the soil against chemicals.

• It absorbs water as part of the water cycle.

• It neutralizes acid rain.

• It blocks harmful radiation from the sun.

All of the following can interfere with the breakdown of organic waste material in the soil except:

• minerals

• solvents

• plastics

• pesticides