TED-Ed: Cloudy climate change: How clouds affect Earth's temperature - Jasper Kirkby

The video explores how clouds influence Earth's climate, focusing on the historical temperature rise since 1750 and the uncertainties in climate predictions due to aerosols and clouds. It highlights the importance of understanding Earth's climate sensitivity and the role of aerosols in cloud formation. The CERN Cloud experiment is introduced as a key initiative to address these uncertainties by studying aerosol formation under controlled conditions.

What is the expected range of global temperature rise by the end of the 21st century if carbon dioxide levels double?

• 0.5 to 1.5 degrees Celsius

• 1.5 to 4.5 degrees Celsius

• 2.0 to 5.0 degrees Celsius

• 3.0 to 6.0 degrees Celsius

What is Earth's climate sensitivity?

• The temperature change in response to a radiative forcing

• The variation in sea levels

• The change in Earth's orbit

• The amount of sunlight Earth receives

Why is it difficult to measure past cloudiness?

• Clouds leave no physical evidence

• Clouds are constantly changing

• Clouds are too high to measure

• There are no direct measurements from 1750

What are atmospheric aerosols?

• Tiny liquid or solid particles suspended in the air

• Particles that only exist in urban areas

• Large clouds in the sky

• Gases that form ozone

Which of the following is NOT a source of primary aerosols?

• Dust

• Sea spray salt

• Burning biomass

• Cosmic rays

What is the main goal of the CERN Cloud experiment?

• To measure the temperature of the sun

• To understand aerosol formation and its impact on clouds

• To study the effects of greenhouse gases

• To predict future sea level rise

What potential natural climate forcing agent is being investigated by the CERN Cloud experiment?

• Volcanic eruptions

• Ocean currents

• Galactic cosmic rays

• Solar flares