Key Idea.
Section 1
Climate Has Trends and Variations
Earth's climate is not a single, steady line; it is always changing. These changes can be understood as two different types of patterns happening at the same time.
One pattern is a long-term trend, which is a general direction of change that happens over many decades. The other pattern involves short-term variations. These are smaller, temporary wiggles in the climate that last for a few years before the climate returns to its long-term path.
Section 2
Volcanoes Cause Temporary Cooling
Large events like a volcanic eruption act as natural forcing factors. They can blast ash high into the sky, blocking sunlight and shading the Earth.
This causes a temporary cooling effect. However, gravity eventually pulls the ash down, and the cooling ends after a few years. It is a powerful but short-lived event.
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Section 1
Climate Has Trends and Variations
Earth's climate is not a single, steady line; it is always changing. These changes can be understood as two different types of patterns happening at the same time.
One pattern is a long-term trend, which is a general direction of change that happens over many decades. The other pattern involves short-term variations. These are smaller, temporary wiggles in the climate that last for a few years before the climate returns to its long-term path.
Section 2
Volcanoes Cause Temporary Cooling
Large events like a volcanic eruption act as natural forcing factors. They can blast ash high into the sky, blocking sunlight and shading the Earth.
This causes a temporary cooling effect. However, gravity eventually pulls the ash down, and the cooling ends after a few years. It is a powerful but short-lived event.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter