EAPS 100 Exam 2
What bathymetric (underwater topographic) feature is associated with subduction zones?
A deep sea trench
A city that is adjacent to a warm ocean current will have ______ mean yearly temperature than a city at the same latitude that is adjacent to a cold ocean current.
A higher
The equatorial region receives the most direct sunlight throughout the year. Consequently, it has _______ mean temperature in comparison to mid-latitude and polar regions.
A higher
Broad, flat areas of the seafloor adjacent to mid-ocean ridges are called ____________ and reflect subsidence of oceanic crust as it moves away from the mid ocean ridge, cools, and becomes more dense.
Abyssal Plains
When air is heated near the surface of the Earth it will become less dense and begin to rise. As it rises, it will cool according to the __________.
Adiabatic lapse rate
_________ gas(es) absorb infrared radiation emitted from Earth's surface and help heat the Earth's troposphere from below.
Greenhouse
When the adiabatic lapse rate is shallower than the environmental lapse rate, a package of air near the surface of the Earth will not spontaneously rise. How would we characterize atmospheric stability in this situation?
Absolute atmospheric stability
About 50% of the solar radiation that enters the Earth's atmosphere is __________.
Absorbed by Earth's surface
Solar radiation transmits energy to the Earth's surface.
True
Can the interaction of ocean waves with the coastline lead to erosion?
Yes
Headlands are areas where land projects into the ocean. Do these areas concentrate wave energy and erosion due to wave refraction?
Yes
Heating the Earth's troposphere from below leads to a convective instability because hot, ________ air forms near the Earth's surface and is underneath cold, _________ air high in the troposphere.
low density; high density
On a warming planet, would melting continental ice sheets represent a positive or negative climate feedback?
Positive
What is the name for the clouds of matter that collapse to form stars and planetary systems?
Nebulae
What is the name for the density driven circulation of seawater from shallow to deep depths (and back) within the ocean?
Thermohaline circulation
Which layer of the atmosphere is where we live and where weather occurs?
Troposphere
Which of the following atmospheric layers is where weather occurs?
Troposphere
The discovery of numerous exoplanets indicates that planet formation is a fairly common process throughout the universe.
True
The mid-latitudes experience strong seasonal changes to their average temperatures.
True
Ocean waves can be generated by all of the following processes except which one?
Underwater earthquakes *Heating sea water through absorption of solar radiation Underwater landslides Wind
Wind tends to flow from areas of high pressure toward areas of low pressure.
True
What is the controversial name for the period of geological history when humans have been able to significantly alter the planet that has been proposed by some Earth scientists?
Anthropocene
Solar radiation is absorbed by the Earth's surface and re-radiated as infrared radiation. This process acts to heat the troposphere from _________.
Below
What is the source of most dissolved solids in the ocean?
Chemical weathering of rocks
Which of the following proposals to mitigate climate change would lead to a reduction in the amount of CO2 in Earth's atmosphere?
Create clouds to increase our planet's albedo *Geologically sequester carbon through pumping rich fluids into the Earth Significantly reduce CO2 emissions by switching to nuclear power All of the above
The left photograph was taken by the Curiosity Rover on Mars. It shows what appears to be a conglomerate. A picture of a conglomerate from Earth is shown on the right for comparison. What type of environment are conglomerates typically deposited? (Food For Thought: What does this mean about ancient environments on Mars?)
Fast flowing water in a river or stream
Ocean currents tend to swirl in a clockwise manner in the northern hemisphere and a counterclockwise manner in the southern hemisphere. What is the term for this pattern of currents?
Gyres
What do we call the circular patterns of ocean currents that is driven by the Earth's rotation?
Gyres
Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?
H20 *Ar CH4 CO2
Sinking cold are near the poles creates a persistent _____ pressure system that leads to limited precipitation in these areas.
High
The amount of dissolved solids (i.e., salinity) at any point in the ocean is determined by the balance between delivery of fresh water (river discharge, rain) and evaporation. Where would you expect the highest level of dissolved solids (i.e., highest salinity)?
In the tropics
The global seismometer network permits us to know where an earthquake occurred, what type of fault generated the earthquake, and the magnitude of the earthquake within seconds to minutes of the event. This allows organizations like the United States Geological Survey to rapidly announce tsunami warnings. Nevertheless, tsunamis still claim many lives despite the fact that some areas can receive hours of warning. What are some of the factors that lead to our limited ability to save lives during a tsunami event? Please answer this question in one paragraph or less.
Lack of good way to distribute info, lack of infrastructure for rapid evacuations
The polar ice caps have a high albedo, meaning that they reflect large quantities of solar radiation back into space. However, they are currently melting and becoming smaller. If this process continues will the Earth's surface absorb more or less solar radiation?
More
Which of the following is a way in which ocean waves can cause erosion along coastlines?
Moving sediment away from the coast Fracturing rock Abrading rock *All of the above
As the Earth warms and major continental ice sheets (Greenland, Antarctica) melt, the sea level will rise. Current projections indicate 0.3-1.2 meters of sea level rise before the year 2100. Why is this concerning?
Rising sea levels could displace large numbers of people The land in coastal areas will lose significant value as it becomes unsustainable to live there A significant proportion of Earth's population lives close to sea level *All of the above
Which of the following techniques could rapidly increase planetary albedo in an effort to cool the climate.
*Artificially creating clouds Moving the continents to equatorial regions Painting all man made structures black
What do we call the atmospheric condition in which a rising mass of air is always hotter and less dense than the overlying air due to an adiabatic lapse rate that is steeper than the environmental lapse rate?
Absolute Instability
The relative humidity of air increases as air rises and cools. When the air reaches 100% humidity water droplets can begin to form. These water droplets typically nucleate on which of the following?
Aerosols
Positive feedback loops will ________ in a system.
Amplify change
All of the following could trigger a tsunami except?
Asteroid impact Underwater earthquake Underwater landslide *A light breeze
Why would artificially creating clouds in the troposphere or injecting aerosols into the stratosphere potentially work to cool our planet?
Both options would decrease planetary albedo *Both options would increase the planetary albedo They would both act to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentration They would both act to increase atmospheric CO2 concentration
Would you expect rocky planets to form closer to or further from a protostar during solar system formation?
Closer to
Warm fronts form when a package of warm air is advancing to replace a package of cold air. What type of weather would you expect to occur in an area in the few days prior to the passage of a warm front?
Clouds and rain
Clouds form when air rises and _______, causing the relative humidity to increase to 100%.
Cools
The equatorial regions must travel a much longer distance during each full rotation of the Earth (i.e., a 24-hour day) than locations at the middle and high latitudes. This difference leads to which of the following when air is moving across the surface of the Earth?
Coriolis effect
Why do ocean currents tend to circulate seawater clockwise in the northern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere?
Coriolis effect
What is the term for the ACTUAL vertical distribution of temperature in the Earth's troposphere?
Environmental lapse rate
Relative humidity is a measure of how much water vapor a package of air can hold. For example, a package of air that has 100% relative humidity cannot hold additional water vapor and will begin to form droplets of liquid water. Would heating a package of air cause its relative humidity to rise or fall?
Fall
A single, cold snowy day indicates that the global mean temperature is getting colder and a single, hot day indicates that the global mean temperature is getting hotter.
False
It is trivial to remove large quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere and geologically sequester it.
False
The above image shows the relationship between surface water salinity and latitude within the ocean. Remember that the salinity at the ocean's surface is determined by the rate of evaporation (this process leaves dissolved solids behind and increases salinity) relative to the rate of freshwater addition (rain, river discharge, and snowmelt all add freshwater and lower salinity). Why does the salinity of the ocean's surface water hit local maxima near the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn?
High levels of evaporation
Wind will flow from areas of ______ atmospheric pressure towards areas of ______ atmospheric pressure.
High; Low
Solar radiation that is absorbed by Earth's surface is re-radiated into Earth's atmosphere as ________ radiation.
Infrared
The last ~200 years has seen an extremely rapid increase in atmospheric concentration of CO2. This increase corresponds with the timing of global industrialization. Which of the following aspects of industrialization is likely to have had an effect on the long-term carbon cycle?
Installing higher quality insulation for buildings Developing nuclear weapons *Burning fossil fuels for energy
The mass extinction that occurred 251 million years ago at the end of the Permian period represents the worst ecological crisis in the history of our planet. Which of the following is the current hypothesis for why this extinction occurred?
Intense volcanism caused large quantities of fossil fuels to be burned over a short period of time, leading to rapid climate change
Will air near the surface of the Earth tend to rise during conditions of absolute atmospheric stability?
No
Which electromagnetic radiation wavelength is efficiently observed using ground based telescopes?
Radio waves
Elements heavier than iron (Fe) were generated during _________.
Reactions during supernovae
Which of the following processes causes ocean waves to refract as they approach the coastline?
Reduction of the wave's speed due to its interaction with the seafloor
Low pressure systems form where air is ___________.
Rising
The above photograph was taken by the Curiosity Rover on Mars. They appear to be layered and flat lying. Fossil mud cracks were photographed within these rocks. What type of rocks are they?
Sedimentary
If you are at the beach, feel a major earthquake, and the ocean rapidly recedes as if it is entering a low tide, what should you do?
Seek high ground
What source of energy heats the Earth's atmosphere?
Solar radiation
An advancing cold front is typically associated with what type of weather.
Storms
The concentration of wave energy and erosion on headlands and the dissipation of wave energy and sediment deposition in bays tends to __________ through time.
Straighten coastlines
Which of the following objects has the highest albedo?
The Ocean A manhole cover *A glacier A grassy lawn
Waves break as they approach the shore because __________.
The bottom of the wave slows down
Would you expect a city adjacent to the ocean or a city in the interior of a continent to have larger fluctuations in temperature throughout the year?
The city in the continental interior
Humans try to stabilize coastlines using a variety of methods. One method is to build breakwaters. What is an inevitable consequence of the construction of breakwaters?
The deposition of sediment in calmer waters behind the breakwater Concentration of wave energy and erosion at the breakwater *Both of the above answers are correct
Referring to the Drake Equation, how would the discovery of ancient (or modern) life on Mars change how unique life is throughout the universe?
The discovery of ancient or modern life on Mars will change our view on how life develops on other planets because it suggests that when planets are habitable, it is very likely that life will arise. In terms of the Drake equation, it will allow us to further constrain the equation because we will have another dataset based on the information we can obtain about life on Mars. While this will not make the equation completely accurate, it will help us understand different variables which we could not see before.
What is the name for the transitional zone between warm water at shallow depths and cold water at great depths in low latitude oceans?
Thermocline
The Drake Equation was designed to quantify how many intelligent species may exist in our galaxy. However, estimates using this equation range from 1 (only humans) to millions. Why is there so much variability?
The value of almost every variable in the Drake Equation is poorly constrained
Why are polar regions colder than equatorial regions?
They receive less solar radiation per unit area than equatorial regions
CO2 is a greenhouse gas and absorbs infrared (heat) radiation that is released from the Earth's surface. Higher concentrations of atmospheric CO2 can, consequently, be expected to lead to more infrared radiation absorbed in the Earth's atmosphere and a higher mean global atmospheric temperature.
True
Changes in Earth's orbital parameters can change the amount of solar radiation that is absorbed by Earth's surface and have a major effect on the global, mean climate.
True
Coastlines are dynamic areas and this constant change should be considered when developing coastal areas for human use.
True
Extinction rates today are much, much higher than the rates of extinction prior to global industrialization and there is some discussion as to whether we are currently at the beginning, or in the midst, of a mass extinction.
True
Hurricanes form where there are areas of extreme low pressure.
True
Infrastructure built on the coastline near subduction zones has an increased risk of damage or destruction due to tsunamis.
True
Large numbers of people live near the coastline to access trade opportunities and to utilize the ocean's resources.
True
Nitrogen N2 is the most abundant gas in Earth's atmosphere.
True
The mid-latitudes have ________ weather due to interactions between high and low pressure systems that are related to the different atmospheric convection cells.
Variable
The environmental lapse rate represents the _________ distribution of air temperature at a give location and is typically measured using weather balloons.
Vertical
Which of the following words describes the short-term state of the atmosphere in a location on Earth?
Weather
In which direction would sediment be transported due to longshore drift on the beach above assuming that the orientation of the waves is typical for this area?
left
Heating a package of air will cause its density to ________.
Decrease
Solar radiation can be absorbed by the Earth's surface or reflected back into space. The ratio of reflected radiation to absorbed radiation is known as albedo. Which of the following surfaces has the highest albedo?
*Glacial Ice Asphalt Road Ocean Forest Canopy
The Earth's atmospheric CO2 concentration has been steadily increasing for the past 100 years. Above you can see a graph of atmospheric CO2 concentrations measured in Hawaii since the late 1950s. Superimposed on the long-term increase in CO2 are yearly oscillations (observe the red curve in the figure above). Why does the CO2 concentration oscillate on an annual basis?
*Seasonal changes in plant growth Seasonal changes in planetary albedo Seasonal changes in rainfall Seasonal differences in the amount of air travel
Which of the following boundaries between tectonic plates is most likely to generate tsunamis? (Hints: What types of faults are found in each of these areas? Which ones are most likely to be under water?)
*Subduction zones Continental collision zones Transform boundaries
Seawater has a high specific heat capacity meaning that it takes large amounts of energy to heat it and it releases large amounts of energy as it cools. In what way will the movement of seawater from tropical regions to higher latitudes via ocean currents affect climate?
Areas adjacent to warm water currents will be warmer than they otherwise would.
The duration of a typical human life is ~100 years. Which of the following planetary climate variables could significantly change on this timescale?
CO2 sequestration through enhanced weathering and carbonate formation Changes to planetary albedo due to continental drift *Melting of ice Changes to the planet's orbit
Which of the following answer choices are variables that affect the Earth's climate on long time scales (i.e., tens of thousands to millions of years)?
Changes to the tilt of Earth's rotational axis The position of the continents Changes to the ellipticity of Earth's orbit around the sun *All of the above
Which of the following words describes the long-term, average state of the atmosphere in a location on Earth?
Climate
Within the troposphere both temperature and pressure ________ with increasing altitude (i.e., distance above the Earth's surface).
Decrease
As waves approach the shore they slow down, their wavelength _____, and their amplitude _____.
Decreases; increases
Tornadoes are ranked according to the Fujita scale. Which of the following categories represents the strongest tornado?
EF-5
The Earth is a rotating sphere. This geometry means that the surface of the Earth at the equator is moving towards the East much faster than the the surface of the Earth at higher latitudes. If air was flowing AWAY from the equator, in which direction would it be deflected due to the Coriolis effect?
East
Areas that have absolute atmospheric instability will tend to form what type of weather feature?
Isolated thunderstorms
In our own solar system, which planet lies within the NASA-defined 'habitable' zone?
Mars
As CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere go up, the rate of weathering increases and more dissolved solids are delivered to the oceans. Dissolved solids can subsequently be incorporated into carbonate minerals and geologically sequester carbon. Would this process be considered a positive or a negative feedback?
Negative
Earth's climate has been fairly stable for much of the planets history (certainly for the last 500 million years). Does this indicate that the planet has many positive or negative climate feedbacks?
Negative
Earth's rotational axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane. This geometry affects the amount of solar radiation that reaches the surface of the planet at different latitudes and ultimately leads to which of the following properties of our planet?
Seasonal temperature variations at middle to high latitudes
As ocean waves approach the shore, the bottom of the wave ________ due to friction with the seafloor.
Slows down
Which type of fault is least likely to generate a tsunami?
Strike-slip fault
Atmospheric convection is driven by the uneven distribution of solar radiation at Earth's surface and the fact that the atmosphere is heated from below.
True
Both mass extinctions discussed in class happened very quickly (geologically speaking, <100,000 years).
True
Mass extinctions in Earth's history have occurred very rapidly and are typically associated with a period of rapid climate change.
True
One of the main lessons from studying mass extinctions is that ecosystems have trouble adapting to extremely rapid changes to Earth's climate.
True
Polar regions typically have very little precipitation.
True
Some coastal cities will be uninhabitable within the next 100 years if sea level were to rise by 1-2 meters.
True
The shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun regularly varies from more circular to more elliptical.
True
At low latitudes the ocean is stratified with respect to temperature such that shallow water is ____ and deep water is ____.
Warm; Cold
Warm fronts occur when a _____ air mass is advancing into an area where a _____ air mass had previously been located.
Warm; Cold
Will melting ice on a planet lead to planetary warming or cooling due to a positive feedback loop?
Warming
Air moving across the surface of the Earth from middle latitudes toward the equator will always be deflected to the _______ by the Coriolis effect.
West
Ocean tides are generated because of gravitational attraction of the ocean to the moon and the sun. In what situation would the largest tidal range (i.e., highest high tide and lowest low tide) occur?
When the gravitational pull of the sun and moon are aligned
Hot air tends to form in the equatorial and tropical regions because these latitudes receive the most solar radiation. We might expect convection cells to form in which hot, low density air rises from the Earth's surface to the upper troposphere near the equator and cold, high density air sinks from the upper troposphere to the Earth's surface in the polar regions. However, the Earth has a more complex convective system that includes three convective cells on either side of the equator. Why?
*The planet rotates Human release of greenhouse gases Climate change
Toward which direction does the Earth rotate? (Hint: Think about where the sun rises and sets)
East
You experience a SINGLE, extremely hot day during the summer. This event indicates that the CLIMATE is getting warmer.
False
Which of the following substances has the lowest albedo?
Ice A continental land mass *The ocean Clouds
Which of the following elements was created during the 'Big Bang'?
Iron Fe Nitrogen N *Hydrogen H Carbon C
Warm water _________ as cold water.
Is less dense
Hot air rises near the equator as part of Earth's system for atmospheric convection. This process results in equatorial and tropical climates that have which of the following properties?
Lots of rain
Hurricanes are very large, rotating storms that form in areas of extreme _____ atmospheric pressure.
Low
The Earth's surface absorbs solar radiation and then radiates it into the atmosphere as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases absorb this radiation and trap heat within the atmosphere. This process leads to which of the following properties of Earth's atmosphere? (Hint: From which direction is the atmosphere heated?)
Pressure increases with altitude *Temperature decreases with altitude in the troposphere Ozone O3 is formed in the thermosphere Temperature increases with altitude in the troposphere
Rifted margins tend to form ________ coastlines.
Submergent
The above image shows sea surface temperatures adjacent to the east coast of the United States and Canada. Red colors indicate warm water, and blue colors indicate cold water. Why is there a large area of warm water extending northeastward across the North Atlantic?
Surface winds moving from the tropics toward higher latitudes are driving an ocean current and this current moving warm, tropical water to the northeast