Deck 12: Climate Change Impacts and Mitigation

Question 1

Extreme weather events such as torrential rainfall are expected to become more frequent with climate change.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The consequences of climate change may include cooling in some areas.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The USGS, projecting a moderate rate of climate change, predicted the disappearance of two-thirds of the world's polar bears by 2020.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Global warming is likely to decrease incidence of insect infestation in many areas.

Question 5

Photovoltaic solar panel farms perform better and produce electricity more cheaply than solar-thermal technology.

Question 6

The increase in energy demand in the U.S. is 1-2 percent per year, but in China it is 10 percent per year.

Question 7

A small sea-level rise along a steep coast translates to a very large landward migration of the shoreline.

Question 8

Which factors contribute to sea-level rise from global warming?

A)melting of arctic ocean ice and heating and expansion of sea water
B)increased precipitation and cooling of sea water
C)increased rainfall over land and decreased rainfall over the oceans
D)melting land ice and heating and expansion of sea water
E)melting of arctic ocean ice and cooling of sea water

Question 9

Which change is NOT expected as a result of global warming?

A)increase in average atmospheric temperatures
B)increase in the flow of the warm Gulf Stream toward Europe
C)sea level rise ​
D)increase in insect-borne diseases
E)greater incidence of extreme weather at all latitudes

Question 10

Warmer oceans dissolve more CO₂ than the cold water of the Arctic.

Question 11

Which of the following would NOT be likely if global warming continues?

A)more intense rainfall and more serious droughts in semi-arid regions
B)a rise in temperatures in most polar regions
C)expansion of the ranges of tropical diseases into higher latitudes
D)a general lowering of mean sea level
E)changes in ocean currents resulting from changes in salinity

Question 12

As Earth's atmosphere warms, increased precipitation over the oceans will cause dry areas to become wetter.

Question 13

Decreasing numbers of available food plants is the primary reason moose in northern climates are dying off in record numbers.

Question 14

Sea-level rates of rise are more than double at cold regions compared with tropical latitudes.

Question 15

What is the pH level of the oceans predicted to be by 2050?

A)6.75
B)6.95
C)7.00
D)7.95
E)8.25

Question 16

The U.S. National Research Council believes global warming will cause sea level to rise between 0.3 and 1.2 m by 2100.

Question 17

Changes in local ocean salinity due to melting glaciers could alter the path and strength of the Gulf Stream.

Question 18

Because freshwater is denser than seawater, seawater floats on top of freshwater.

Question 19

As Earth's atmosphere warms, populations in northern climates will likely experience more droughts and floods.

Question 20

Which statement about mitigation of climate change is FALSE?

A)The most direct way to slow the increase in greenhouse gases is to minimize population growth.
B)Conservation is an expensive way to reduce carbon output used in power production.
C)If the real costs of burning coal are included, the cost of wind energy is similar.
D)Injecting aerosols such as sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere annually could block some of the sun's incoming energy.
E)There is considerable opposition to a carbon tax in the United States.

Question 21

The most dramatic global warming is occurring in which regions?

A)equatorial regions
B)polar regions
C)mid-latitudes in the northern hemisphere
D)mid-latitudes in the southern hemisphere
E)All regions are warming about equally.

Question 22

Warming of seawater tends to stress coral and promote _______________ as the symbiotic algae die off.

Question 23

Local differences in sea level rise rates are associated with all of the following EXCEPT ____.

A)tides
B)El Niño
C)expansion of water with warming
D)storms
E)presence of barrier islands

Question 24

What percentage of electrical power in the U.S. is generated from nuclear sources?

A)less than one percent
B)five percent
C)10 percent
D)15 percent
E)20 percent

Question 25

A serious consequence of sea-level rise is contamination of _______________ by salt water.

Question 26

CO₂ reacts with water to form _______________, which makes the ocean more acidic.

Question 27

Which is NOT an impact of global warming on humans?

A)greater incidence of weather-related extreme events
B)longer snowpack runoff times
C)lowered groundwater supplies
D)drought-related water and food shortages
E)malaria and Lyme disease

Question 28

Which is NOT a consequence of permafrost thawing?

A)deformation of roads and railroads
B)decay of organic material
C)trees tilting at various angles
D)absorption of methane gas
E)sinkholes

Question 29

Which crop has benefited from global warming?

A)corn
B)California walnuts
C)California avocados
D)cotton in the southeastern U.S.
E)figs

Question 30

Which is NOT a proposed geoengineering solution to mitigate climate change?

A)increasing the storage of carbon in land
B)increasing the storage of carbon in oceans
C)increasing the storage of carbon in the lower atmosphere
D)planting additional trees
E)injecting aerosols into the atmosphere

Question 31

Which of the following positive feedback effects is NOT a result of Arctic thawing and glacial melting?

A)Melting sea ice leads to less reflectivity.
B)Melting permafrost leads to released methane gas.
C)Melting of the sea-floor results in release of methane hydrate.
D)Melting permafrost leads to increased photosynthesis.
E)Melting glaciers leads to exposed darker rock.

Question 32

Which country would lose 17% of its land if the sea level were to rise by one meter?

A)Tokyo
B)Mexico
C)Bangladesh
D)New York
E)China

Question 33

If human-caused CO₂ emissions were completely halted today, how long would it take for significant temperature drop to occur in the upper atmosphere?

A)ten to twenty years
B)twenty to fifty years
C)fifty to one hundred years
D)one hundred to one hundred fifty years
E)at least one thousand years

Question 34

Shortages of freshwater in some locations are caused by all of the following EXCEPT ____.

A)decreased amount of freshwater evaporating from oceans and falling on land
B)population increases
C)greater agricultural usage
D)greater industrial usage
E)regional transfer of water supplies

Question 35

What is the expected outcome on regional precipitation as a result of global warming?

A)Tropical wet regions will get wetter and mid-latitude dry regions will get drier.
B)Both tropical and mid-latitude regions will get drier.
C)Tropical wet regions will get drier and mid-latitude dry regions will get wetter.
D)Both tropical and mid-latitude regions will get wetter.
E)Both tropical and mid-latitude regions should stay the same.

Question 36

Where is the largest trading program for greenhouse gases, operating since 2005?

A)California
B)European union
C)United States
D)The Netherlands
E)The United Kingdom

Question 37

_______________ use about half of all fuels in lighting, heating, cooling, and ventilation.

Question 38

Which of the following plants or animals have benefitted from global warming?

A)American pika
B)polar bears
C)black spruce
D)North Atlantic shellfish
E)sea turtles

Question 39

Traditional nuclear and _______________ power plants have very high decommissioning costs.

Question 40

About when did glaciers on the highest mountains and in Greenland begin melting more rapidly?

A)1700
B)1900
C)1930
D)1960
E)1980

Question 41

A(n) _______________ is an indirect tax that strives to account for the actual societal costs of use of a fuel, including such indirect aspects as air and water pollution, health, and climate change. ​

Question 42

The process of producing natural gas from underground shale is called _______________.

Question 43

Explain why some power companies charge more for energy use during high-demand time periods.

Question 44

Capturing carbon at its source for storage underground is known as _______________.

Question 45

A(n) _______________ is a government-controlled mechanism to reduce emission of pollutants during energy generation by providing economic incentives and penalties.

Question 46

Describe approaches to solar radiation management.

Question 47

Why would coastal populations of poor countries be displaced more than wealthy nations when sea levels rise?

Question 48

How are efforts to mitigate global warming unfair to the developing world?

Question 49

Discuss the ways to mitigate global warming. Which do you think holds the most promise?

Question 50

A primary advantage of wind energy is that it uses no _______________.