📚 Topic Summary
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) are formed from the remains of ancient organisms. Their combustion releases energy, powering our world, but also releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), contributing to climate change. Understanding the relationship between fossil fuel use and its environmental impact is crucial in AP Environmental Science. This includes exploring alternative energy sources and mitigation strategies.
Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns, largely driven by human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels. Increased greenhouse gas concentrations trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming and various environmental consequences like rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and disruptions to ecosystems.
🧪 Part A: Vocabulary
Match the following terms with their definitions:
| Term |
Definition |
| 1. Carbon Sequestration |
A. A fuel formed from the remains of ancient marine organisms. |
| 2. Greenhouse Effect |
B. The trapping of the sun's warmth in a planet's lower atmosphere due to the greater transparency of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet's surface. |
| 3. Fossil Fuel |
C. The process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. |
| 4. Climate Change |
D. Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. |
| 5. Petroleum |
E. A fuel formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals. |
📝 Part B: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the paragraph with the correct terms:
Burning _______ releases greenhouse gases like _______, contributing to the _______ effect and ultimately leading to _______. Transitioning to _______ energy sources is crucial to mitigate these effects.
🌍 Part C: Critical Thinking
Discuss the potential economic and social challenges associated with transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. What strategies can be implemented to address these challenges?