evidence of climate change

• What are the four main methods to see patterns in Earth's climate?

  Ice cores, tree rings, sediment cores, and historical data
• How do ice cores provide evidence for climate change?

  They show past climate and temperature through gas analysis
• What can scientists learn from examining gases in ice core layers?

  They can determine past climate conditions
• What additional information can fossils or sediments in ice cores provide?

  They can give more context about past climates
• How long have temperatures been recorded globally?

  Since 1850
• Why are global temperature records more reliable in the last 50 years?

  Data collection methods have improved significantly
• How far back do global temperature records stretch?

  170 years
• What is the significance of the temperature data collected since 1850?

  It helps identify climate change patterns
• What limitations exist in the global temperature records?

  They only cover a short time span of 170 years
• What are the methods used to analyze climate change evidence?

  • Temperature records
  • Ice cores
  • Tree rings
  • Ocean sediments
• What are the implications of the evidence for climate change?

  It indicates significant changes in climate patterns
• What can plant pollen indicate about climate change?

  Differences between current and past climate
• How is plant pollen preserved for analysis?

  It can be preserved in sediment
• What do tree rings indicate about climate conditions?

  Rings are thicker in good growth conditions
• How often does a new tree ring form?

  Every year
• What can counting tree rings reveal?

  The age of the tree
• How far back can tree rings provide climate data?

  Up to the last 10,000 years
• What are the methods used to show climate change through pollen and tree rings?

  • Pollen analysis from sediment
  • Tree ring analysis
  • Thickness indicates growth conditions
  • Counting rings shows age
  • Provides data for up to 10,000 years