What is a carbon source? What is a carbon sink?
A carbon source is an entity that releases more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than it locks up. Examples would be a coal-fired power plant and a gasoline-powered automobile. A carbon sink is an entity that locks up or stores more carbon dioxide than it releases to the environment. An example would be a forest, What is the albedo effect and how does it relate to global warming? ANSWER: Albedo is the percentage of incoming radiation reflected off a surface. Bright surfaces, like ice and snow, reflect solar radiation back into space. However, as ice sheets melt due to the Earth’s rising temperatures, the removal of this highly reflective surface and the resultant increase in the surface area of less-reflective oceans and tundra could cause a decrease in the Earth’s albedo and a consequent further warming of the planet. What is a positive feedback loop and how does this concept relate to global warming? ANSWER: A positive feedback loop is a self-reinforcing system, a process that create