Climate feedback — Science definition
A process set off by warming that either amplifies it (a positive feedback, like melting ice) or dampens it (a negative feedback).
Where it is taught
- Climate Change — Pollution, Carbon & Climate Evidence, Physics & Environmental Science, Grade 12
Questions using climate feedback
Problem 1
Which of these is an example of a positive climate feedback that amplifies warming?
- Clouds reflecting some sunlight back to space
- Plants absorbing carbon dioxide during photosynthesis
- Melting ice exposing dark water that absorbs more heat, melting still more ice
- The deep ocean storing heat for centuries
Answer and explanation
Melting ice exposing dark water that absorbs more heat, melting still more ice
The ice-albedo feedback is self-reinforcing: warming melts reflective ice, exposing dark water that absorbs more heat and melts even more ice.