Climate Change
Rising greenhouse gases are warming the planet.
About this topic
Climate change is the long-term shift in global temperatures and weather patterns. Since the Industrial Revolution, burning fossil fuels, deforestation and agriculture have raised greenhouse gases like CO₂ and methane, trapping more heat. Earth has warmed about 1.1 °C.
Effects include rising sea levels from melting ice and thermal expansion, more extreme weather such as heatwaves, floods and droughts, shifting habitats, coral bleaching and ocean acidification. Many species cannot move or adapt fast enough, so extinctions rise. Farming and water supplies are also threatened.
The greenhouse effect itself is natural and keeps Earth warm enough for life: sunlight warms the surface, which radiates infrared that gases such as CO₂ absorb and re-emit. The problem is the enhanced effect from added gases. Ice cores show CO₂ levels now far higher than in the past 800 000 years.
Responses include cutting emissions with renewable energy, efficiency and cleaner transport, protecting forests, and adapting with sea walls and drought-resistant crops. Students often confuse climate change with the ozone hole, which is a separate problem caused by CFCs. Also, weather is short-term while climate is the long-term average.
Key ideas
- CO₂ from fossil fuels
- Sea level rise
- Extreme weather
Quick check
Use cases: where Climate Change helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Climate Change before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Climate Change without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Climate Change changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Climate Change in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Biology underpins medicine, farming, conservation and biotechnology.
Frequently asked questions
What is Climate Change?
Rising greenhouse gases are warming the planet.
What will I learn in Climate Change?
CO₂ from fossil fuels. Sea level rise. Extreme weather.
Is Climate Change part of Biology?
Yes. It is one of 150 Biology topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Climate Change lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Climate Change?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.