Chapter 21 Global Climate Change
What percentage of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide? A) 0.0400% B) 0.152% C) 1% D) 5%
A) 0.0400%
Which of the following oxygen isotopes is the most common? A) 16O B) 17O C) 18O
A) 16O
Which oxygen isotope would be concentrated in glacial ice? A) 16O B) 17O C) 18O
A) 16O
What percentage of solar radiation is reflected back into outer space by the albedo of the Earth? A) 30% B) 20% C) 100% D) 50%
A) 30%
Why would increasing acidity of the ocean be a problem? A) Acid would dissolve calcium carbonate shells or sea organisms B) Acid will increase the rate of seafloor spreading C) Acid decreases the stability of basaltic rocks on the ocean floor D) Acid would be evaporated and create clouds that precipitate acid rain
A) Acid would dissolve calcium carbonate shells or sea organisms
Which of the following trace gases is not natural to the atmosphere and is purely the result of human activities? A) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) B) Nitrous oxide C) Krypton D) Methane
A) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
When eccentricity, obliquity, and precession are all overlapping to have the most significant impact on the Earth's climate, what is happening to the climate? A) Climate is cooling B) Climate is warming C) Climate is stagnant
A) Climate is cooling
The ________ refers to water in solid form, such as ice and snow that exists on the Earth's surface. A) Cryosphere B) Atmosphere C) Geosphere D) Biosphere
A) Cryosphere
Which planktonic marine organism, often found in sea sediments, can be used to make interpretations about past climates? A) Foraminifera B) Clams C) Fish D) Algae
A) Foraminifera
How can tree rings provide information about past climates? A) Thickness and spacing of tree rings reflect environmental conditions B) Tree rings turn colors depending on the climate C) Tree rings trap gas bubbles that can be used to interpret atmospheric conditions D) Tree rings can measure past CO2 concentrations
A) Thickness and spacing of tree rings reflect environmental conditions
What was the approximate increase in global temperature during the 20th century? A) 0.5°C B) 0.8°C C) 1.0°C D) 1.5°C
B) 0.8°C
Which of the following is not part of the Milankovich Cycle, which would affect climate change by reducing the distribution of incoming solar radiation? A) Obliquity B) Accretion C) Eccentricity D) Precession
B) Accretion
Which of the following spheres is not part of the climate system? A) Cryosphere B) Asthenosphere C) Hydrosphere D) Biosphere
B) Asthenosphere
What effect will black carbon deposits have on glacial ice? A) Black carbon will insulate the ice, preserving it B) Black carbon will slow the rate of melting C) Black carbon will absorb more heat, increasing melting D) Black carbon has no effect on glacial ice
B) Black carbon will slow the rate of melting
What material makes up the shells of many marine microorganisms? A) NO2 B) CaCO3 C) SiO2 D) NaCl
B) CaCO3
What substance is responsible for the increasing concentrations of nitrous oxide in the atmosphere? A) Coolants in refrigerators B) Fertilizers C) Fossil fuels D) Nuclear waste
B) Fertilizers
How can agriculture be responsible for increasing the amount of methane in the atmosphere? A) Crops like corn and soybeans add methane to the atmosphere B) Methane is emitted by bacteria in the gut of agricultural animals, such as cattle and sheep C) Overtilling the land will cause the soil to break down and release greenhouse gases D) Fumes from liquid fertilizer are opening holes in the ozone
B) Methane is emitted by bacteria in the gut of agricultural animals, such as cattle and sheep
How will melting permafrost in polar regions lead to a positive feedback loop that will continue to warm the climate, which will allow for more permafrost to melt? A) Buried CFCs will be released from contaminants in frozen vegetation B) Methane will be released as the vegetation thaws C) Nitrous oxide will be trapped in the meltwater generated and pulled out of the atmosphere D) Carbon dioxide is sequestered in the water infiltrating the landscape
B) Methane will be released as the vegetation thaws
Which of the following is not one of the three paths taken by incoming solar radiation? A) Radiation passes through the atmosphere and is absorbed by the surface. B) Radiation is deflected by the magnetic field. C) Radiation is reflected back into space by clouds, atmosphere, snow, and ice. D) Radiation is absorbed by clouds and atmospheric gases.
B) Radiation is deflected by the magnetic field.
What is the source of black carbon aerosols? A) Petroleum B) Soot C) Bacteria D) Mineral deposits
B) Soot
In which layer of the atmosphere is the ozone layer found? A) Troposphere B) Stratosphere C) Thermosphere D) Mesosphere
B) Stratosphere
How will explosive volcanic eruptions affect global temperatures? A) Temperatures will raise B) Temperatures will lower C) Temperatures will remain the same
B) Temperatures will lower
Which coastline will be more significantly impacted by sea level change: the Pacific Coast or the Atlantic Coast? A) The Pacific Coast — there are more people living there B) The Atlantic Coast — it has a gently sloping shoreline C) The Pacific Coast — it has a steeply sloping shoreline D) The Atlantic Coast — there are more buildings along the shoreline
B) The Atlantic Coast — it has a gently sloping shoreline
The higher temperatures during the Cretaceous Period were the result of ________. A) the Milankovich Cycle B) additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere C) increased sunspot activity D) changing locations of continents
B) additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Temperature increases in polar regions are going to be ________ the global average. A) lower than B) greater than C) equal to
B) greater than
What will be produced when carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater? A) Calcium carbonate B) Sulfuric acid C) Carbonic acid D) Sodium chloride
C) Carbonic acid
Which of the following can be used as a marine paleothermometer? A) Tree rings B) Pollen C) Coral D) Aerosols
C) Coral
Which of the following best illustrates the connection between climate and geologic processes? A) Water coming off a cooling magma emplaces metallic ores B) Hydrothermal vents near a mid-ocean rift create chimneys of mineral deposits C) Heavy rainfalls trigger debris flows D) Arid climates make sea level drop
C) Heavy rainfalls trigger debris flows
Why is the use of proxy data necessary when studying past climate change? A) Modern recording instruments are skewed by pollutants in the atmosphere B) Modern data has been biased by religious influence or political ideologies C) Instrumental records only go back a couple of centuries and are more incomplete the older they are D) Geological and atmospheric changes occurring at the time work differently than today
C) Instrumental records only go back a couple of centuries and are more incomplete the older they are
Which of the following trace gases does not contribute to climate change? A) CFCs B) Nitrous oxide C) Krypton D) Methane
C) Krypton
What materials are sampled to study 16O:18O ratios during past climates? A) Sea sediments B) Tree rings C) Marine microorganisms D) Atmosphere
C) Marine microorganisms
What is the molecule for ozone? A) O2 B) CO2 C) O3 D) H2O
C) O3
How will seasonal changes affect the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere? A) There will be less CO2 in the atmosphere in winter than in summer B) The levels of CO2 are constant no matter the season C) There will be more CO2 in the atmosphere in winter than in summer
C) There will be more CO2 in the atmosphere in winter than in summer
Sunspots occur in cycles with the maximum number of sunspots occurring about every ________ years. A) five B) nine C) eleven D) fifteen
C) eleven
Sea level rise is a combination of ________ and ________ as the climate becomes warmer. A) freezing ice; increasing salinity B) evaporation; sublimation C) melting ice; thermal expansion D) plate tectonics; mountain uplift
C) melting ice; thermal expansion
According to research, how high has sea level risen since 1870? A) 7 cm B) 10 cm C) 1 cm D) 25 cm
D) 25 cm
________ are small solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. A) Sunspots B) Radiosondes C) CFCs D) Aerosols
D) Aerosols
If the Earth had no atmosphere, what would the average temperature of the planet be? A) Above boiling B) 25°C C) 10°C D) Below freezing
D) Below freezing
Which process has been largely responsible for increasing the amount of CO2 in the last 200 years? A) Increasing cattle ranching worldwide B) Disintegration of petroleum-based plastics C) Use of industrial fertilizers D) Burning of fossil fuels
D) Burning of fossil fuels
If CFCs have not been widely used since the late 20th century, why are they considered a major greenhouse gas in the 21st century? A) Although they have been banned, they are being use illegally B) CFCs are released by a number of natural processes, such as volcanoes C) Greenhouse gases such as methane will break down into CFCs D) CFCs can stay in the atmosphere for decades
D) CFCs can stay in the atmosphere for decades
The Maunder Minimum occurred at the same time as the ________ and has been used by some to explain the cooling temperatures during that period. A) Industrial Revolution B) Cretaceous Period C) Medieval Warm Period D) Little Ice Age
D) Little Ice Age
Which two gases make up the majority of the atmosphere? A) Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide B) Neon and Methane C) Hydrogen and Helium D) Nitrogen and Oxygen
D) Nitrogen and Oxygen
________ is the study and reconstruction of past climates through the use of proxy data. A) Climatology B) Hydrology C) Glaciology D) Paleoclimatology
D) Paleoclimatology
________ are often the best-preserved, most easily identifiable plant remains in sediments and can be used to interpret the paleoclimate. A) Corals B) Trees C) Seeds D) Pollen
D) Pollen
How will increasing atmospheric CO2 affect the properties of seawater? A) Seawater will have higher salinity B) Seawater will have lower density C) Seawater will have higher surface tension D) Seawater will have lower pH
D) Seawater will have lower pH
True or False? Changes that occur in one part of the climate system are isolated and will have no part on the remainder of the system.
False
True or False? Climate is the state of the atmosphere at a given time in a given place over a short period of time.
False
True or False? Ice cores taken from glaciers show higher concentrations of 18O in the ice deposited during colder climates.
False
True or False? The concentration of methane in the atmosphere has been shown to be increasing for the last 1,000 years, indicating that humans are not responsible for its generation.
False
True or False? Dust storms can carry enough dust into the atmosphere to create aerosols.
True
True or False? According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is a 90-99% probability that increases in global temperatures are due to the increase in human-generated greenhouse gases.
True
True or False? Computer models are not infallible at predicting climate change because they use simplified versions of the Earth to create the model.
True
True or False? Increasing amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere results in increased global temperatures.
True
True or False? Nearly all the energy that drives the Earth's climate comes from the Sun.
True
True or False? Nitrogen makes up the largest percentage of the atmosphere.
True
True or False? Small sea level rise on a shore with a gentle slope will cause a substantial shift in shoreline location.
True
True or False? The climate system involves energy and moisture exchanges between five Earth spheres: biosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere.
True
True or False? The sun emits slightly more solar radiation during a period of high sunspot activity.
True
True or False? Trapped air in glaciers record atmospheric composition through time.
True
True or False? Water vapor is a greenhouse gas.
True
