The Inquiry Model

The Inquiry Model

1) The problem is: Climate Change And Global Warming. Global Warming is the gradual warming of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans reportedly caused by the burning of fossil fuels and industrial pollutants. Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth's global climate or regional climates over time. It describes changes in the variability or average state of the atmosphere--or average weather--over time scales ranging from decades to millions of years. These changes may come from internal processes, be driven by external forces or, most recently, be caused by human activities.(wikipedia 2006), (Newsciencetist.com)

2) Patterns of physical geography have affected this issue by: Bringing on a set of unpredictable changes. Mainly creating a "Green house" Effect. Forestry has affected this by the present lack of trees; foliage offers a big part in protecting our environment by its nature of recycling and reducing Carbon dioxide. With the expansion of industrial agriculture, we get more waste and bio-waste from animals resulting in other gases and pollutants such methane being sent and being trapped in the atmosphere. (wikipedia 2006), (Newsciencetist.com)

3) Patterns of human geography have affected this issue by: Increasing the amount of carbon dioxide and other air pollution that is sent into the atmosphere. These are mostly the results of burning fossil fuels. With the amount of C02 (Carbon dioxide) in the troposphere, The C02 acts as a thickening blanket, trapping the suns harmful UV and other rays within our living athmosphere resulting in higher temptures, mainly on land and in water. Coal-burning power plants are the largest. Source of carbon dioxide pollution -- they produce 2.5 billion tons every year. Automobiles, the second largest source, create nearly 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually. Ever since the onset of the industrial revolution, where factories have surpassed agriculture, pollution due to humans as ever since been on the rise. Agriculture also plays a small role, In developed countries, and more and more in the third world as well, traditional agriculture is being replaced by new methods that require large inputs of fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides, that depend on large scale irrigation, and that consume large quantities of fuel both in growing the food and in delivering it to consumers who may be thousands of miles away, adding to the problem. (wikipedia 2006), (Newsciencetist.com)

4) Issues on the local or national level have affected humans by: Changing our way of life, due to the changing of conditions we are not accustom to. With concerns for our health and health for the environment, programs such as recycling have been instated to promote efficiency and reduce waste. Energy Conservation, the practice of decreasing the quantity of energy we use while hoping to achieving a similar outcome of end use has also been on the rise recently. Global warming has helped to established an environmental friendly attitude towards all of us who share the planet. (wikipedia 2006), (Newsciencetist.com)

5) Global warming and climate change have affected and influenced the world greatly. Global warming has great effect on crops and weather conditions around the world. The northern hemisphere contains more land area than the southern hemisphere, and conversely, a lower percentage of the world's oceans. Since oceans absorb more heat than land areas, it is not surprising that most climate models predict faster heating over the northern hemisphere than the global average. In addition, models predict faster temperature increases at higher latitudes. If global warming trends continue, high temperatures everywhere in North America may reduce North American agricultural productivity. Northern continental areas are projected to have drier summer soils; due in part to earlier snow melts in the spring, and hotter, more cloudless summers, causing extensive evaporation of ground moisture. In addition, if the inland areas of the northern hemisphere are expected to receive less moisture, then, lake and river levels will be lower. Some reports predict the level of the Great Lakes will drop between 2 and 8 feet. River flows in the western US may be very vulnerable to increase temperatures expected as result of the greenhouse effect. As a result of the extra heat, polar ice caps and glaciers are melting, giving us higher sea levels in return. This could lead to massive flooding and excessive damage from continuous high water levels. .(wikipedia 2006), (Newsciencetist.com)

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