Kundali IQHome › Exam notes › UPSC Civil Services › Climate Change Science
Climate Change Science
Environment & Ecology
Useful for: UPSC Civil Services
Overview
Climate change results from rising greenhouse-gas concentrations that increase radiative forcing; feedbacks amplify warming.
Key points
- Major greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases.
- Methane traps much more heat per molecule than CO₂ over a 100-year period, though it stays in the air for a shorter time.
- The IPCC was set up in 1988 by WMO and UNEP; its Sixth Assessment Report was completed in 2021–2023.
- Ice–albedo feedback: melting ice exposes darker surfaces that absorb more heat.
- Ocean acidification results from oceans absorbing CO₂.
- Black carbon (soot) warms the atmosphere and darkens snow.
Practice MCQs
From the perspective of definition and scope, which one of the following statements about Climate Change Science is correct?
- Greenhouse gases alter Earth’s radiative balance by absorbing and re-emitting outgoing long-wave radiation.
- Ozone depletion and greenhouse warming are the same atmospheric process caused by exactly the same gases.
- Climate Change Science is unrelated to institutions, processes or real-world applications.
- Climate Change Science has no exceptions or limitations in exam analysis.
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (a) Greenhouse gases alter Earth’s radiative balance by absorbing and re-emitting outgoing long-wave radiation.. Greenhouse gases alter Earth’s radiative balance by absorbing and re-emitting outgoing long-wave radiation.
Consider the following statements on Climate Change Science and Wetlands & Coasts, focusing on definition and scope: 1. Ozone depletion and greenhouse warming are the same atmospheric process caused by exactly the same gases. 2. All wetlands are permanently waterlogged deep-water ecosystems with no seasonal variation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Read chapter notes · Similar questions
Show answer
Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2. Neither statement is correct; both are common misconceptions.
More topics in this chapter
Notes and questions are written by Kundali IQ for practice. They are not official papers; always check the latest official notification for the syllabus and pattern.