Deck 19: Global Change in the Earth System

Question 1

A ________ change will only occur one time.

A)bidirectional
B)unidirectional
C)cyclic
D)periodic

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Life on Earth has changed drastically over time,including the occurrence of ________,which paved the way for the evolution of new species to fill old niches.

A)supercontinents
B)mass extinctions
C)photosynthetic organisms
D)glaciation

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The change in organisms over geologic history is known as the ________.

A)biogeochemical cycle
B)evolutionary cycle
C)biospheric change
D)evolution of life

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The climate on Earth has changed frequently,with at least ________ times in which Earth experienced icehouse conditions.

A)five
B)two
C)ten
D)eight

Question 5

Which of these is the longest-lasting sink for carbon dioxide?

A)plant tissues and cellulose
B)the atmosphere
C)air bubbles within glacial ice
D)limestones

Question 6

The ________ cycle describes how water moves between reservoirs on Earth.

A)carbon
B)hydrobaric
C)biogeochemical
D)hydrologic

Question 7

Which of the following represents a unidirectional change in the nature of Earth?

A)differentiation of the layers of Earth
B)the supercontinent cycle
C)the movement of water from one reservoir to another
D)the rise and fall of global sea levels

Question 8

The ________ cycle helps us understand how the concentration of greenhouse gases changes in the atmosphere.

A)carbon
B)carbon dioxide
C)biogeochemical
D)hydrologic

Question 9

Which of the following has NOT changed?

A)the position of the plates on Earth's surface
B)the tilt of Earth's axis of rotation
C)the position of Earth relative to the Sun
D)the amount of solar insulation on Earth

Question 10

Changes that occur ________ are called ________ changes.

A)repeatedly;cyclic
B)gradually;unidirectional
C)slowly;cyclic
D)quickly;unidirectional

Question 11

The hydrologic cycle includes which of these?

A)the advance and retreat of glaciers
B)the accumulation of methane in the atmosphere
C)the secretion of carbonate shells by marine organisms
D)photosynthesis

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of cyclic change?

A)Earth colliding with an asteroid
B)the creation of an ocean basin
C)the formation of supercontinents
D)the formation of mountains

Question 13

Which of the following is an example of a unidirectional change?

A)shifting of climate belts
B)a glacier carving a U-shaped valley
C)evaporation of water out of the ocean
D)formation of a supercontinent

Question 14

The evolution of life takes place ________,while the mass extinction of life takes place ________.

A)gradually;abruptly
B)suddenly;hastily
C)quickly;gradually
D)suddenly;slowly

Question 15

The shifting of the plates on Earth's surface is an example of ________ change.

A)bidirectional
B)unidirectional
C)multidirectional
D)cyclic

Question 16

Which geologic event is NOT suspected as a source of major climate change or mass-extinction events?

A)the massive eruption of flood basalts
B)the eruption of super volcanoes
C)the impact of asteroids
D)very large earthquakes

Question 17

During most of the Mesozoic Era,Earth was ________.

A)about as warm as present
B)cooler than present
C)warmer than present
D)experiencing wild temperature fluctuations

Question 18

Using the diagram included,which list contains only carbon sinks?

A)combustion,decay of plant materials,metamorphism
B)metamorphism,burning of fossils fuels,animal digestion
C)chemical weathering,growth of vegetation,formation of coral reefs
D)chemical weathering,decay of vegetation,formation of coral reefs

Question 19

There have been at least three or four times in Earth's history when ________ formed.

A)Himalayan-style mountain ranges
B)divergent plate boundaries
C)supercontinents
D)continental glaciers

Question 20

A crater in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula may be the result of an impact that brought about the extinction of numerous dinosaur species at the end of the ________ Period.

A)Silurian
B)Jurassic
C)Cretaceous
D)Tertiary

Question 21

________ is a change in atmospheric conditions over minutes to days,whereas ________ is the average of conditions over years to decades.

A)Climate;weather
B)Weather;climate
C)Storm formation;hurricane formation
D)Global cooling;global warming

Question 22

Mines,construction areas,and farmland are all examples of ways humans modify the ________.

A)ecosystem
B)landfill
C)landscape
D)biome

Question 23

Which greenhouse gases play the most significant role in influencing changes in global atmospheric temperature?

A)carbon dioxide and ozone
B)nitrogen dioxide and ozone
C)nitrogen dioxide and methane
D)carbon dioxide and methane

Question 24

What is the difference between weather and climate?

A)Weather is a long-term cycle,whereas climate is a transient condition.
B)Weather is a transient condition,whereas climate is a long-term cycle.
C)Weather relates to precipitation,whereas climate relates to temperature.
D)The two terms are essentially interchangeable.

Question 25

The primary cause of recent global warming is believed to be ________.

A)chemical reactions in the atmosphere that are driven by solar heat
B)the increased burning of fossil fuels
C)increased levels of atmospheric pollution
D)the depletion of the ozone layer

Question 26

According to the figure below,approximately how much has the sea level risen since the last ice age ended,approximately 16,000 years ago?

A)110 m
B)60 m
C)20 m
D)15 m

Question 27

Why is tracking the carbon cycle important?

A)Carbon is contained in all living things and can be used to determine the evolution of various species on Earth.
B)Carbon alone is responsible for the increase in temperatures seen on Earth and thus affects our well-being.
C)Carbon is part of carbon dioxide,which is a greenhouse gas that is partially responsible for the current global warming trend.
D)Carbon is contained in a large majority of rocks and minerals on the planet and can thus help us decipher Earth's history.

Question 28

Which of the following situations could lead to icehouse conditions?

A)a large volcanic eruption with a sharp decrease in the amount of vegetation on Earth
B)a decrease in surface albedo due to melting glaciers plus an increase in sunspots
C)the growth of large forests and increase of albedo from the growth of mountain glaciers
D)a decrease in cosmic radiation along with a large volcanic eruption

Question 29

Using the graph below,when was the first period of global cooling?

A)Quaternary
B)Archean
C)Proterozoic
D)Jurassic

Question 30

Greenhouse gases heat Earth by absorbing the radiation from ________.

A)the Sun
B)the Moon
C)Earth
D)the stars

Question 31

Toxic chemicals dumped into a river are an example of ________.

A)greenhouse gases
B)smog
C)ozone
D)pollution

Question 32

Oxygen isotopes are often used to estimate changes in paleoclimate by measuring the ratio of ¹⁸O to ¹⁶O in ice cores.If the ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratio is high,this indicates a(n)________.

A)icehouse condition
B)snowball Earth
C)polar climate
D)warm climate

Question 33

If the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is high,Earth could experience ________.

A)global warming
B)global cooling
C)icehouse conditions
D)weaker storms

Question 34

The amount of solar energy reflected by a surface is known as ________.

A)albedo
B)radiation
C)the reflection coefficient
D)the absorption coefficient

Question 35

The hole in the ozone layer has been brought about by anthropogenic emissions of ________.

A)carbon dioxide
B)methane
C)chlorofluorocarbons
D)water vapor

Question 36

The ratio of oxygen-16 and oxygen-18 isotopes in plankton fossils in deep-sea sediments can be used to determine ________.

A)past carbon dioxide concentrations
B)past temperatures
C)the age of the fossils
D)water depth

Question 37

How are carbon dioxide (CO₂)levels in the atmosphere affected by tectonic uplift and subsequent chemical weathering of rocks?

A)CO₂ is removed from the atmosphere.
B)CO₂ is added to the atmosphere.
C)CO₂ is removed by uplift and returned by weathering.
D)They have no net effect on CO₂ .

Question 38

How are pollen species used to interpret ancient environments?

A)Each plant species is found in many different climates.
B)Different plant species live in different climates.
C)The ratio of oxygen isotopes can be measured in pollen.
D)Specific plant species directly track the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere.

Question 39

What would Earth's climate be like if there were no greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

A)much colder than now
B)much warmer than now
C)the same temperature as the Sun
D)about the same as now

Question 40

According to the figure below,how much has atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂)increased in parts per million (ppm)in approximately the last 50 years?

A)from about 310 to 320 ppm
B)from about 360 to 390 ppm
C)from about 320 to 390 ppm
D)from about 380 to 390 ppm

Question 41

Describe the changes that occur to a drop of water as it progresses through the following reservoirs in the hydrologic cycle: ocean,atmosphere,mountains,streams,ocean.

Question 42

Which of the following scenarios is most likely to occur if the climate continues on its current trajectory?

A)Large expanses of continental shelf will be exposed above sea level.
B)Cities like New York,New Orleans,and Miami will be flooded by ocean water.
C)Continental glaciers will form and expand outward from Canada and Norway.
D)Glaciers will grow larger,carve more U-shaped valleys,and deposit moraines.

Question 43

Which of the following activities can lower the level of the water table?

A)urbanization
B)mining
C)pollution
D)deforestation

Question 44

The eventual death of Earth will be the result of a(n)________.

A)greenhouse period
B)red giant star
C)nuclear explosion
D)asteroid collision

Question 45

Some biologists think that ________ are causing a sixth mass-extinction event.

A)the cosmic rays
B)the tides
C)humans
D)asteroids

Question 46

The Anthropocene layer on Earth will show which of the following characteristics?

A)a decrease in trace fossils
B)nutrient-rich soils
C)a decrease in biodiversity
D)an increase in plant life

Question 47

Compare and contrast unidirectional change with cyclic change.Include an example of each in your answer.

Question 48

What role do greenhouse gases play in Earth's climate? If there were no greenhouse gases on Earth,what would the climate be like? Could humans survive?

Question 49

List and describe one way humans have impacted Earth.

Question 50

The figure below shows changes in sea level since the last ice age ended.Based on this,if Earth were to enter another ice age similar to the last one,what would the sea level most likely do?

A)rise about 120 m
B)rise about 20 m
C)fall about 20 m
D)fall about 120 m

Question 51

According to the graph below,global temperatures are predicted to rise by as much as 4.5°C.What effect will this have on the area in which you live? Make sure to address the changes you might notice.

Question 52

Models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change show that by the year 2100,the average annual temperature will have increased in some parts of the world by as much as ________.

A)1°C
B)2°C
C)4°C
D)8°C

Question 53

As more ice in the Arctic Ocean melts,what effect does this have on the water?

A)Heat absorption increases as the albedo increases.
B)Heat absorption increases as the albedo decreases.
C)Heat absorption decreases as the albedo decreases.
D)There is no effect on heat absorption.

Question 54

Which of the following is NOT the result of human interaction?

A)the loss of biodiversity
B)climate change
C)the hole in the ozone layer
D)the existence of radioactive materials

Question 55

Most industrial nations have intentionally decreased their production and use of refrigerants and other chlorofluorocarbons in the last 20 years to address the ________.

A)decrease in Arctic Sea ice cover
B)decrease in plankton fecundity in tropical and subtropical waters
C)increase in hurricane,typhoon,and tropical cyclone intensity and/or number
D)decrease in atmospheric ozone over the Antarctic