[Oceans] Currently, sea level is rising about 0.31 cm/year….

Currently, sea level is rising about 0.31 cm/year. Since the disappearance of the last remnants of the North American (Laurentide) Ice Sheet 7,000 years ago, sea level has risen 4 meters (purple box). How does this historical rate (4 meters of rise over 7,000 years) compare to the current rate of sea-level rise (0.31 cm/year)?

[Oceans] The bodies of water that cover our planet are broke…

The bodies of water that cover our planet are broken up by landmasses. The large expanses that are bordered by different continents are called oceans. Smaller bodies of saltwater that are at least partially surrounded by land are called either seas, bays, or gulfs. Label the main bodies of water shown in the image below.

[Earth’s Atmosphere]  Black carbon is an aerosol that is com…

  Black carbon is an aerosol that is common in today’s atmosphere. In the video below, we can see the relative abundance of black carbon in South Asia over a period of three months. The dark purple regions indicate areas of lower black carbon concentrations, whereas the white areas have concentrations 20 to 40 times those of the background levels. Click here to open the video in a new window. Notice how weather patterns move through and distribute the aerosol widely, but the source (circled in the image below) remains in place, continuing to produce more black carbon. Which of the following processes is likely responsible for the constant flux of black carbon?

[Winds, Fronts, and Cyclones] Let’s take a look at satellite…

Let’s take a look at satellite imagery from a massive mid-latitude cyclone that crossed the United States in March 1993. This event is commonly called the “Storm of the Century.” It spawned 15 tornadoes in Florida, killed 270 people, and caused $5.5 billion in damage. Watch the following video and see if you can identify the different parts of the cyclone. Click here to open the video in a new window. On the imagery below, match the different symbols to their appropriate locations.