Final answer:
Climate feedback loops are processes that impact climate change by amplifying or reducing its effects. Examples include the shading effect from air pollution, water vapour as a greenhouse gas, the role of clouds, heat uptake by oceans, and the impact of aerosols.
Step-by-step explanation:
Climate feedback loops are processes that can either amplify or diminish the effects of climate change. When a change in the climate leads to a secondary effect that reinforces the initial change, it is known as a positive feedback loop. In contrast, a negative feedback loop occurs when the secondary effect reduces the initial change. Here are examples of climate feedback loops:
- The shading effect from air pollution: This describes the haze effect, which can lead to a cooling of the Earth's surface by reflecting sunlight.
- The addition of water vapour into the atmosphere: As a greenhouse gas, water vapour increases in the atmosphere as air temperatures rise, enhancing the greenhouse effect and leading to a positive feedback loop.
- The role of clouds at different altitudes: Clouds can have both warming and cooling effects on the earth's climate, acting as a feedback mechanism depending on their composition and altitude.
- Heat uptake by the oceans: The oceans absorb heat from the atmosphere, which can moderate temperature rise on a short-term scale but also can contribute to long-term changes in climate patterns.
- The presence of fine atmospheric particles called aerosols: Depending on their type, aerosols can either reflect sunlight and cool the Earth (negative feedback) or absorb sunlight and contribute to warming (positive feedback).