Deck 11: Climate Change Processes and History

Question 1

Why is it warmer in the northern hemisphere in July than it is in December?

A)Earth is closer to the sun in the summer than the winter.
B)The sun's rays shine more directly on the northern hemisphere in the summer than in the winter.
C)There are more greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere in the summer than in the winter.
D)The sun's energy output is greater in the summer than it is in the winter.
E)The size and shape of Earth's elliptical orbit changes from nearly circular in the summer to highly elliptical in the winter.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Researchers estimate that black carbon may account for about one-half of all global warming.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Incoming solar radiation is short-wave, while radiation outward from the Earth is long-wave.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The amount of water vapor in the clouds contributes to changing albedo.

Question 5

Non-greenhouse gases make up more than 99.9% of the dry atmosphere.

Question 6

In the best-case scenario (strict mitigation), temperatures in the U.S. desert southwest are predicted to rise 5 degrees Celsius by late century.

Question 7

Major eruptions of volcanoes emit large amounts of CO₂ and CH₄, but their total contribution to atmospheric levels is small.

Question 8

Past and future human actions influence the rate at which temperatures will rise in the future.

Question 9

The amount of solar radiation reaching the top of Earth's atmosphere changes in 30-year cycles.

Question 10

What do the vast majority of climatologists who have carefully examined the data agree on regarding human-induced global warming?

A)Human-induced global warming has begun and is increasing.
B)Human-induced global warming has begun, but it is decreasing.
C)Human-induced global warming has not yet begun, but should start by 2050.
D)Global warming has begun, but it is not human-induced.
E)Global warming has not begun.

Question 11

An expanding sunspot reduces solar radiation.

Question 12

Based on a stringent mitigation scenario for future fossil fuel consumption, temperatures in the Arctic are expected to rise by at least 2°C, and under a minimal mitigation scenario would rise by about 5°C by mid-century.

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a layer of Earth's atmosphere?

A)Mesosphere
B)Allosphere ​
C)Troposphere
D)Stratosphere
E)Ionosphere

Question 14

Negative radiative forcing refers to more outgoing than incoming radiation.

Question 15

Judge the following sentence: Even though water vapor has the greatest effect as a greenhouse gas, it is not normally discussed as one BECAUSE water vapor is completely natural and we have no control over it.

A)The assertion and reason are both correct.
B)The assertion is correct and the reason is incorrect.
C)The assertion is incorrect and the reason is correct.
D)Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.

Question 16

Natural gas was the largest fuel source in the United States in 2013.

Question 17

Tree-ring patterns from desert areas are not useful for climate studies because moisture is more determinative for tree growth than temperature.

Question 18

What contains the largest reservoir of carbon?

A)atmosphere
B)deep ocean
C)shallow ocean
D)rock
E)soil

Question 19

The atmosphere was 25°C to 30°C cooler during the last ice age relative to modern times.

Question 20

Decreasing SO₂ pollution, which contributes to acid rain and respiratory diseases, will decrease the rate of global warming.

Question 21

Earth has experienced _______________ ice ages over the past two million years.

Question 22

Recent increases in carbon dioxide levels are plotted on a graph called the _______________.

Question 23

The effect of aerosols can be best described as ____.

A)absorbing carbon dioxide
B)emitting carbon dioxide
C)reflecting sunlight and cooling the atmosphere
D)absorbing sunlight and warming the atmosphere
E)contributing to the formation of clouds

Question 24

What are an example and an effect of a high-albedo surface?

A)asphalt; warms Earth
B)oceans; keeps Earth cool
C)glacial ice; warms Earth
D)oceans; warms Earth
E)glacial ice; keeps Earth cool

Question 25

Approximately when did the rapid increase in human-produced atmospheric CO₂ begin?

A)1900
B)1930
C)1950
D)1980
E)2000

Question 26

In addition to carbon dioxide, _______________ and _______________ have risen above their pre-industrial levels in Earth's atmosphere.

Question 27

Approximately when did Earth's atmospheric temperature begin rising?

A)mid-1500s
B)late 1700s
C)early 1900s
D)late 1900s
E)early 2000s

Question 28

Which best represents the thickness of Earth's atmosphere?

A)The peel of an orange
B)The rind of a watermelon
C)A piece of paper on a basketball
D)A human hair on a basketball
E)A single cell of skin on a basketball

Question 29

As of 2015, what is the approximate CO₂ level in Earth's atmosphere?

A)100 ppm
B)200 ppm
C)400 ppm
D)800 ppm
E)1200 ppm

Question 30

Which of the following is the best example of a positive feedback effect?

A)Melting ice exposes the dark surface of the ocean, which reflects less of the sun's energy than ice. This heats the water and in turn, melts more ice.
B)Melting ice exposes the dark surface of the ocean, which reflects more of the sun's energy than ice. This heats the water and in turn, melts more ice.
C)Melting ice allows ocean levels to rise and reduce the surface area of the remaining ice, slowing its melting rate.
D)Aerosols block the sun's radiation, slowing the melting of ice.
E)Aerosols cause air pollution, which increases local drought conditions.

Question 31

Greenhouse gases include all of the following except ____.

A)argon
B)methane
C)nitrogen oxides
D)carbon dioxide
E)hydrofluorocarbons

Question 32

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2014 estimated that Earth's average surface temperature would likely rise by how much above preindustrial levels by 2050?

A)one-half degree Celsius
B)one degree Celsius
C)two degrees Celsius
D)three degrees Celsius
E)five degrees Celsius

Question 33

How are tree rings used as proxy data to provide an indirect record of past climate conditions?

A)Tree rings are thicker and the wood is denser when growing conditions are better.
B)Tree rings are thicker and the wood is lighter when growing conditions are better.
C)Tree rings are thinner and the wood is denser when growing conditions are better.
D)Tree rings are thinner and the wood is lighter when growing conditions are better.
E)Because of variable moisture levels, tree rings cannot be used as proxy data.

Question 34

In a single year, which of the following is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide into Earth's atmosphere?

A)a single large volcanic eruption
B)cement plants
C)agriculture
D)coal-fired power plants
E)ground and air transportation

Question 35

A measure of the total incoming or outgoing radiant energy is called _______________.

Question 36

According to analysis of air in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores, global temperature has ____.

A)increased steadily over the past 400,000 years
B)decreased steadily over the past 400,000 years
C)increased and decreased in cycles over the past 400,000 years
D)remained stable over the past 400,000 years
E)remained stable and then increased during the past 100,000 years

Question 37

Different surfaces reflect more or less sunlight, a property called _______________.

Question 38

Judge the following sentence: Temperatures have risen faster in the oceans than on the continents BECAUSE the ocean has a greater heat capacity than land.

A)The assertion and reason are both correct.
B)The assertion is correct but the reason is incorrect.
C)The assertion is incorrect but the reason is correct.
D)Both the assertion and the reason are incorrect.
E)Heat capacity does not apply to land masses.

Question 39

A student was asked the question, "What are the major components of the Milankovitch cycle?" The student answered, "The important components of the Milankovitch cycle are variations in Earth's orbit from nearly circular to elliptical, changes in the tilt of Earth's axis of rotation, and variations in solar output due to sunspots." How would you rate this answer?

A)EXCELLENT: The student completely and correctly answered the question.
B)VERY GOOD: The student's answer was complete, but included an additional component that was incorrect.
C)GOOD: The student's answer was incomplete by one component and included a component that was incorrect.
D)FAIR: The student's answer was incomplete by two components or included two components that were incorrect.
E)POOR: The student's answer was incomplete by more than two components or included more than two incorrect components.

Question 40

What was the relationship between Earth's temperature and incoming solar radiation between 1998 and 2014?

A)Earth's temperature rose sharply during a period of constant incoming solar radiation.
B)Earth's temperature rose slowly during a period of weaker solar energy.
C)Both Earth's temperature and the amount of incoming solar radiation fell.
D)Both Earth's temperature and the amount of incoming solar radiation rose.
E)Earth's temperature remained constant during a period of stronger solar energy.

Question 41

How can isotopes of oxygen be used as a proxy for past temperature data?

Question 42

The three methods of heat transfer are conduction, radiation, and _______________.

Question 43

Marine organisms preserve the current oxygen-isotope ratio in their _______________.

Question 44

How do greenhouse gases warm Earth's atmosphere?

Question 45

Most of the energy in China, India, and many other developing countries is produced using _______________ as a fuel.

Question 46

The troposphere extends from the Earth up to about _______________ km.

Question 47

Explain how dark soot over the Indian Ocean increases the intensity of regional droughts.

Question 48

________________ added to the atmosphere since 1750 is the largest contributor to change in radiative forcing.

Question 49

Describe the carbon cycle.

Question 50

The oxidation of nitrogen in the atmosphere during lightning storms generates _______________.

Question 51

Can the current increase in carbon dioxide level in Earth's atmosphere be attributable to natural variation and not human activity? Why or why not?