Deck 18: Global Climate

Question 1

Which of the following terms applies to acid rain?

A)dry deposition
B)wet deposition
C)acid fog
D)sour rain

Answer 1

B

Question 2

An important natural source of which of the following chemicals comes from volcanoes?

A)ozone
B)benzene
C)carbon monoxide
D)sulphur dioxide

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the Antarctica ozone hole?

A)It is similar in intensity to the hole found over the Arctic region.
B)It had nearly disappeared in the 1990s.
C)It is associated with the formation of polar stratospheric clouds.
D)It is located in the upper troposphere.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Mixing
Refer to the figure below.
How many metres thick is the mixing depth?

A)about 0 m
B)about 100 m
C)about 200 m
D)about 400 m

Question 5

Which of the following describes stratospheric ozone?

A)It reflects all ultraviolet radiation back into space.
B)It contributes to the increase of temperature with height in the stratosphere.
C)It does not affect Earth's radiation budget.
D)It reaches its highest concentrations over Antarctica in October.

Question 6

Once released, how long do chlorofluorocarbons remain in the atmosphere?

A)about 1 month
B)about 100 years
C)about 10 days
D)about 1 year

Question 7

Which of the following is the collective name for particles of soot, smoke, dust, and pollen?

A)carcinogens
B)aerosols
C)haze
D)hydrocarbons

Question 8

Which of the following gases is produced naturally in the stratosphere and is also a primary component of photochemical smog in polluted air at the surface?

A)carbon dioxide
B)nitrogen dioxide
C)ozone
D)carbon monoxide

Question 9

Which of the following air conditions is indicated by a coning shape plume rising from a smokestack?

A)neutral
B)stable
C)unstable
D)inversion

Question 10

Which of the following situations probably results in a fairly long period of polluted conditions?

A)persistent winds
B)subsidence inversion
C)radiation inversion
D)overcast skies

Question 11

Which of the following factors explains why sunshine in cities is typically less intense than it is in surrounding rural areas?

A)higher pollution levels in cities
B)air temperature in cities
C)horizon blocked by tall structures in cities
D)incident sunshine absorbed by cement and asphalt in cities

Question 12

When chlorofluorocarbons are subjected to ultraviolet radiation, which of the following gases is released and rapidly destroys ozone?

A)nitrogen
B)carbon
C)carbon dioxide
D)chlorine

Question 13

Nitrogen dioxide reacts with which of the following gases in the atmosphere to form nitric acid?

A)hydrogen
B)water vapour
C)ozone
D)carbon dioxide

Question 14

Which of the following conditions is likely associated with a country breeze?

A)a large high pressure area that forms over a city
B)a hot, humid, summer day in a large city
C)a period of heavy rain that falls over a city
D)a strong urban heat island

Question 15

Which of the following air conditions defines the mixing depth?

A)an unstable layer that extends from the surface up to the base of an inversion
B)an unstable layer that extends upward from an inversion
C)a very stable layer that extends from the surface up to the base of an inversion
D)a very stable layer found upward from an inversion

Question 16

Which of the following describes the time when pollution is most severe in urban areas?

A)when a large slow-moving anticyclone moves into an area
B)when a storm system begins developing to the west
C)when a cold upper-level low moves into a region
D)when a warm front passes through the area

Question 17

Which of the following factors usually brings on atmospheric stagnation?

A)thunderstorms
B)slow-moving anticyclones
C)tall buildings in a city
D)overcast skies

Question 18

Which of the following factors describes the main cause of erosion of limestone buildings, fountains, and sculptures?

A)acid precipitation
B)ozone
C)urban heat island
D)vibrations caused by automobile traffic

Question 19

Which of the following statements describes an urban heat island?

A)Conservation techniques are used to reduce energy consumption in urban areas.
B)Air temperatures are warmer in urban areas than in surrounding rural areas.
C)Factories are situated in a single location downwind from urban areas.
D)Energy use is concentrated in urban areas.

Question 20

Above which of the following continents is the ozone hole observed?

A)North America
B)Antarctica
C)South America
D)Australia

Question 21

In which of the following atmospheric layers is about 97 percent of all ozone found?

A)exosphere
B)stratosphere
C)mesosphere
D)troposphere

Question 22

Which of the following terms refers to rain with a pH of 5.6?

A)polluted
B)acidic
C)neutral
D)alkaline

Question 23

Which of the following gases will replace oxygen in the blood pigment hemoglobin and thereby reduce the transport of oxygen to the brain?

A)carbon dioxide
B)carbon monoxide
C)methane
D)sulphur dioxide

Question 24

Which of the following results from increased numbers of aerosols in the atmosphere?

A)Fewer condensation nuclei are available.
B)More shortwave radiation is reflected from clouds.
C)More precipitation is produced from clouds.
D)More ozone is depleted from the ozone layer.

Question 25

Which of the following accurately compares the temperatures of cities and rural areas on clear, cold, winter nights?

A)Cities tend to cool more slowly than rural areas and have higher temperatures.
B)Cities tend to cool more quickly than rural areas and have lower temperatures.
C)Cities tend to cool more slowly than rural areas and have lower temperatures.
D)Cities tend to cool more quickly than rural areas and have higher temperatures.

Question 26

Which of the following describes an urban heat island?

A)It results in cities being cooler at night compared to rural areas.
B)It causes a wind to flow from the city to the countryside.
C)It releases more longwave radiation in the day than a nearby rural area.
D)It has less evaporative cooling than nearby rural areas.

Question 27

Which of the following statements might usually describe conditions recorded downwind of a large industrial area?

A)Air quality improves.
B)Average annual precipitation can increase.
C)Breezy conditions can be frequent.
D)Surface temperatures can be higher.

Question 28

Which of the following toxic gases was an important component of London's smoke fogs?

A)radon
B)sulphur dioxide
C)carbon monoxide
D)ozone

Question 29

Which of the following occurs when ozone concentration decreases significantly?

A)more absorption of ultraviolet radiation at the Earth's surface
B)more cases of skin cancer
C)warming of the stratosphere
D)more absorption of ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere

Question 30

Which of the following describes the direction that a country breeze blows?

A)from the city toward the country at night
B)from the country toward the city during the day
C)from the country toward the city at night
D)from the city toward the country during the day

Question 31

Which of the following terms refers to photochemical smog?

A)London-type smog
B)Los Angeles-type smog
C)mixing-layer smog
D)subsidence smog

Question 32

What type of atmospheric conditions does a looping smoke plume like the one shown above indicate?

A)stable
B)conditionally stable
C)conditionally neutral
D)unstable

Question 33

Which of the following describes the shape of smokestack plumes on days when thunderstorms are most likely to form?

A)lofting shape
B)looping shape
C)coning shape
D)fanning shape

Question 34

Which of the following conditions describes what the decline in the health of Germany's forests has been attributed to?

A)acid precipitation
B)erosion caused by excessive lumber cutting
C)urbanization
D)increased CO2 concentrations and global warming

Question 35

Mixing
Refer to the figure below.
Where is the greatest concentration of pollutants likely found?

A)in layer A
B)above layer A
C)in layer B
D)in layer C

Question 36

Which of the following is an accurate statement about carbon monoxide?

A)It replaces oxygen in the blood's hemoglobin.
B)It is removed quickly from the atmosphere.
C)Roughly half the atmospheric CO is produced by industrial processes.
D)It is produced by photosynthesis.

Question 37

Which of the following air conditions are indicated by a fanning shape plume rising from a smokestack?

A)inversion and unstable
B)inversion and stable
C)stable and neutral
D)neutral and inversion

Question 38

Which of the following describes the main source of smoke in London prior to and during the industrial revolution?

A)coal combustion
B)exhaust from diesel engines
C)trash fires
D)factories in Eastern Europe

Question 39

In which of the following atmospheric layers is the ozone hole located?

A)stratosphere
B)ionosphere
C)thermosphere
D)troposphere

Question 40

Which of the following factors characterizes a mixing layer?

A)high concentrations of pollutants
B)enhanced vertical air motions
C)suppressed vertical air motions
D)strong horizontal winds

Question 41

Which of the following is the primary component of photochemical smog?

A)ozone
B)carbon dioxide
C)nitric oxide
D)sulphur dioxide

Question 42

Describe the formation of a subsidence inversion and explain how this influences air pollution.

Question 43

Which of the following statements describes why particulates with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres are particularly dangerous?

A)They are chemically neutralized by dissolved carbon dioxide.
B)They absorb ultraviolet radiations effectively.
C)They dissolve easily in water.
D)They can penetrate deep into the lungs.

Question 44

Explain why locating industrial facilities on the perimeter of a city might not always prevent air pollution in the city.

Question 45

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas used as a refrigerant and as a solvent during the manufacture of foam?

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

Question 46

Which of the following describes the main way that chlorofluorocarbons enter the stratosphere?

A)the exhaust of high-altitude aircraft
B)the rupture of radiosonde balloons
C)an inversion
D)building thunderstorms that penetrate the lower stratosphere

Question 47

In which of the following ways can suspended particles in the atmosphere affect climate?

A)They reflect incoming radiation onto the Earth's surface.
B)They absorb latent heat from the atmosphere.
C)They reflect outgoing infrared radiation from the Earth's surface.
D)They absorb incoming radiation onto to the Earth's surface.

Question 48

Describe some of the measures that are being taken to reduce the problem of acid precipitation.

Question 49

Which of the following regions of Canada likely has the most severe acid rain problem?

A)the Prairies
B)the Maritimes
C)coastal British Columbia
D)southern Ontario

Question 50

Which of the following gases is a primary component of photochemical smog?

A)chlorofluorocarbons
B)ozone
C)carbon monoxide
D)sulphur dioxide

Question 51

Which of the following conditions on a particular day are indicated by an Air Quality Health Index value of 3?

A)moderately hazardous
B)extremely hazardous
C)unhealthful
D)good

Question 52

Which of the following is usually lower in urban areas compared to rural areas?

A)temperature
B)concentration of pollution
C)visibility
D)frequency of fog

Question 53

Describe how the use of a tall smokestack might improve air quality in the vicinity of a large industrial facility.

Question 54

Which of the following conditions act to prevent a buildup of pollutants near the surface?

A)deep mixing layer
B)large, slow-moving anticyclone
C)light surface winds
D)strong subsidence inversion

Question 55

Which type of air is typically more polluted?

A)indoor
B)continental
C)outdoor
D)coastal

Question 56

Which of the following describes the kind of decrease in ozone concentration as it relates to the ozone hole?

A)permanent
B)monthly
C)seasonal
D)daily

Question 57

Explain how ozone can have both a beneficial and a detrimental role in the Earth's atmosphere.

Question 58

Mixing
Refer to the figure below.
Where is the mixing layer located?

A)in layer A
B)above layer A
C)in layer B
D)in layer C

Question 59

Mixing
Refer to the figure below.
As a result of country breezes, which of the following tends to happen to pollutants in the urban air?

A)They are concentrated.
B)They are pushed to higher altitudes.
C)They are pushed to rural areas.
D)They are diluted.

Question 60

Which of the following gases is a volatile organic compound otherwise known as a hydrocarbon?

A)sulphur dioxide
B)carbon dioxide
C)methane
D)ozone

Question 61

Why would we want ozone in the stratosphere but not in the troposphere?

Question 62

Is the ozone that is found near the Earth's surface a primary or a secondary pollutant? When during the day do you expect to find the peak concentrations of ozone? What are some of the environmental concerns associated with ozone?

Question 63

Assume you are working for the Ministry of the Environment and you are tasked with reducing air pollution in Canada. List some important features of your policy for reducing both outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution.

Question 64

Explain how environmental conditions differ upwind and downwind of a large city.

Question 65

What stability condition is most favourable for improving urban air quality? What time of day or night does this stability condition typically occur?

Question 66

How did the conditions in the atmosphere over Antarctica lead to the formation of the ozone hole?

Question 67

How can topography contribute to pollution in a city or region?

Question 68

What causes acid rain? What are some of the environmental concerns associated with acid rain? Are problems with acid rain confined to a small area, or do they extend over a large region?

Question 69

How does Los Angeles-type smog differ from London-type smog?

Question 70

Do the concentrations of air pollutants vary significantly during the day where you live? If so, when do the highest concentrations of pollutants occur?

Question 71

Describe some of the ways an industrial facility that is constructed in or near a large urban area could attempt to reduce emissions of air pollutants.

Question 72

Do highly polluted cities tend to have more clouds than less polluted cities? Explain your answer.

Question 73

What is the urban heat island effect? How could an urban heat island affect atmospheric conditions nearby?

Question 74

What atmospheric conditions are associated with a major air pollution episode?

Question 75

List several atmospheric pollutants. What are the most important sources, and what are the environmental and health effects of these pollutants?

Question 76

How do scientists expect the ozone hole to change over the next several decades? What is this forecast based on?

Question 77

List some of the ways that pollutants are removed from the atmosphere. Does this occur quickly or slowly?