Deck 12: Atmosphere and Climate

Question 1

Which of the following statements is an example of climate?

A) The temperature today is unusually cold for this time of year.
B) Heavy local rains caused flooding in low-lying areas.
C) Long winters and hot, humid summers are typical of the upper Midwest.
D) If the drought in Oklahoma continues next year, it will be the worst since the Dust Bowl.
E) High humidity intensifies the oppressive heat.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The evolution of the average behavior of the Earth's atmosphere over time is called

A) weather.
B) climate.
C) climate change.
D) hurricanes.
E) stratospheric migration.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Changes in the driving of the atmosphere by _______ are a form of climate change.

A) continental drift
B) geothermal activity
C) salinization of groundwater
D) the sun
E) albedo

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Components of the climate system do not include

A) the sun.
B) oceans.
C) glaciers.
D) the atmosphere.
E) cosmic rays.

Question 5

Which of the following is not a driver in Earth's climate?

A) The gravitational pull of the moon
B) The sun
C) Ocean currents
D) Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
E) Clouds

Question 6

Which of the following statements concerning the composition of the atmosphere is true?

A) Water consistently is the gas present in the highest concentrations.
B) N₂ and O₂ concentrations tend to be variable.
C) CO₂ is present in the lowest concentration of all gases.
D) Methane concentration is about 17 parts per million by volume.
E) Carbon monoxide concentration is 388 parts per million.

Question 7

Carbon dioxide is a more important greenhouse gas than methane because

A) carbon dioxide is made exclusively by humans and methane is natural.
B) carbon dioxide has a stronger warming potential, a higher atmospheric concentration, and longer lifetime than methane.
C) carbon dioxide has a lower greenhouse effect at current levels (W/m²) than methane.
D) methane is destroyed by sunlight.
E) methane contains no carbon, a key ingredient in greenhouse gases.

Question 8

If you were to measure the composition of the atmosphere across the globe, the composition would be relatively constant except for

A) nitrogen and oxygen.
B) oxygen and helium.
C) helium and carbon dioxide.
D) carbon dioxide and water vapor.
E) water vapor and ozone.

Question 9

Ozone exists mostly

A) in the stratosphere.
B) underground in reservoirs.
C) dissolved in water.
D) in the cryosphere.
E) None of the above

Question 10

Incident ultraviolet radiation from the sun is blocked by

A) clouds.
B) sulfur dioxide.
C) chorofluorocarbons.
D) methane.
E) ozone.

Question 11

Which of the following statements about stratospheric ozone is false?

A) Ozone is formed by the interaction of O₂ and ultraviolet light.
B) A "hole" in the ozone was observed above the equator.
C) Ozone is destroyed by the presence of NO_x and chlorine-containing compounds.
D) The absence of stratospheric ozone allows harmful radiation to strike Earth's surface.
E) Stratospheric ozone is a good thing but ozone on the surface of Earth is pollution.

Question 12

A variable component of the atmosphere found in aerosols and particulate matter emanating from volcanoes and agriculture is/are

A) helium.
B) carbon monoxide.
C) CFCs.
D) sulphate aerosols.
E) water vapor.

Question 13

Which of the following does not play a role in reflecting incident sunlight back into space?

A) Methane
B) Ice
C) Clouds
D) Sulfur oxides
E) Particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere

Question 14

Other than CO₂, what greenhouse gas has the longest lifetime in the atmosphere?

A) Nitrous oxide
B) Ozone
C) CFCs
D) Methane
E) Both a and c

Question 15

Without the greenhouse effect, the atmosphere around the planet would be

A) 3°C colder.
B) 30°C colder.
C) 30°C warmer.
D) 3°C warmer.
E) unchanged.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about the greenhouse effect is false?

A) Without the greenhouse effect, the atmosphere might be too cold for current life forms.
B) CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere started increasing during the Industrial Revolution.
C) Methane is an important greenhouse and has several natural sources.
D) The impact of water vapor and clouds on global warming is difficult to quantify.
E) CFCs are a natural greenhouse gas with high warming potential.

Question 17

The greenhouse effect describes what interaction?

A) The reflection of radiant energy by the glaciers and the absorption of energy by the oceans
B) The reflection of about 50% of the sun's incident energy before it reaches Earth's surface
C) The absorption and subsequent re-emission of longwave radiation by certain gases in the atmosphere
D) The destruction of the ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons
E) The elevated temperatures above cities and other constructed environments

Question 18

The recent period of global warming

A) is unprecedented in Earth's history.
B) can be easily and accurately predicted.
C) is suspected to result in part from human activities.
D) has been accompanied by a decrease in CO₂ concentrations.
E) cannot be documented by accurate temperature records.

Question 19

The most recent glaciation event ended _______ years ago.

A) 600
B) 14,000
C) 145,000
D) 5 million
E) 65 million

Question 20

The figure below illustrates that

A) CO₂ concentrations and average global temperatures are strongly linked.
B) humans are the cause of global warming.
C) Earth is about to enter another small ice age.
D) high CO₂ concentrations cause global warming.
E) increases to global temperatures result in increases to atmospheric CO₂ levels.

Question 21

CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere _______ the past 160,000 years.

A) have been equal to methane for
B) are higher today than at any time in
C) have followed the opposite trends of temperature for
D) have been relatively constant for
E) have been constant during periods of glaciation over

Question 22

Potential evidence that human activities are contributing to global warming includes

A) increasing sunspot activity.
B) very intense hurricanes in the past decade.
C) the increase of global average temperatures and CO₂ concentrations together since the advent of industrialization.
D) rapidly rising sea levels over the past century.
E) the shrinking of the hole in the ozone.

Question 23

If global climate change is occurring, it could mean

A) weather predictions are wrong.
B) the entire planet will be covered by desert.
C) the overall climate will not change but temperatures will be warmer.
D) coastal regions will be vulnerable to drastic changes.
E) human beings will not survive.

Question 24

If the current climate trends continue, adverse impacts could include

A) increased heat extremes and increased tropical storm intensity.
B) decreased precipitation for high latitudes.
C) increased precipitation for subtropical regions.
D) increased snow cover and permafrost.
E) increased sea ice.

Question 25

Describe the difference between climate and weather. Why is this an important distinction in the conversations concerning global climate change?

Question 26

Describe three aspects of Earth's interaction with the sun that influences the climate of Earth.

Question 27

Give some examples of the role that water plays global climate change.

Question 28

The contribution of various greenhouse gases to global warming is the sum of various factors. What are these factors and what is the net impact of them?

Question 29

Wetlands are an important source of methane but draining wetlands results in large emissions of CO₂ as the built-up organic materials oxidize. Ignoring ecological impacts, how could you decide whether keeping the wetland or draining it is the best option for greenhouse gas emissions?

Question 30

What are CFCs, how were they used, and why were they banned?

Question 31

Explain the term "albedo" and its relevance to ice ages on Earth.

Question 32

Describe how scientists have determined Earth's temperatures and CO₂ content from thousands of years ago.

Question 33

Give three examples of physical evidence that the climate of Earth is rapidly changing.

Question 34

List at least three examples of the ecological effects attributed to global climate change.