ENVR 1402 - CH. 15

CO2 concentrations have increased about 0.5 percent per year since the late 1950s when they were around 315 ppm, so in 2018 they were approximately ______ ppm.

410

CH4

Decaying organic matter with no oxygen, as in wetlands, rice paddies, and ruminant animal stomachs

How accurate is it to say that scientists frequently publish fraudulent data, so we can't rely on their climate change studies?

Science depends on transparency and replication, so it is nearly impossible to publish fraudulent data (and to collect it in the first place.)

___________________ are cyclonic storms that form over land and have characteristic swirling funnel clouds.

Tornadoes

Most people mistakenly believe that alternative energy requires subsidies, but _____________ fuels actually receive more subsidies and tax incentives than alternatives do.

fossil or conventional

The direct and indirect cost of subsidies that support the fossil fuel industry are estimated to be ______ per year.

over $5 trillion

The Coriolis effect deflects objects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, resulting in the Northeast ______ winds, which brought Columbus to the Americas.

trade

Latent heat refers to ______.

- 580 calories of energy per gram of water vapor - energy that is released when water vapor condenses to form rain or snow - energy stored in water vapor in the atmosphere

Observed climate changes include which of the following patterns in drought occurrence?

- Droughts are becoming more frequent and widespread. - New levels of drought are occurring in the Amazon basin.

Rank the following surfaces in order of decreasing albedo, with the answer with the most albedo at the top and the least at the bottom.

1. Fresh snow 2. White sand 3. Green Forest 4. Black fossil

Recent estimates show that the United States could provide 80% of their energy needs with renewables by ______.

2030

N2O

Agriculture, plant decomposition, and vehicle engines

CO2

Burning coal, oil, and gas; decomposition of organic matter in soils and forests

What keeps our atmosphere close to the Earth, rather than drifting off into space?

Gravity

Which of these best describes a jet stream?

Hurricane-force winds that circle the earth

The ______ Protocol is an international treaty with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Kyoto

Choose the two most common gases in the atmosphere.

Oxygen Nitrogen

H20

The most abundant GHG, but little affected by human activity

CH4

The second most abundant human-caused GHG

In a wedge analysis approach to energy policy, how are economic concerns and jobs understood to be affected?

They benefit from smarter policies.

Choose the top two emitters of carbon as reported in 2010.

United States China

How is wind related to air pressure?

Wind is what happens when air moves from high pressure to low pressure.

The costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to be ______ of global gross domestic product (GDP).

about 1 percent

Areas of high pressure have relative ______ amounts of precipitation, as downward moving air warms and moisture evaporates.

low

Scientists commonly use computer climate _______________ to understand how systems worked in the past, and then project that information to predict possible future outcomes using both natural and human variables.

models

Sinking air creates areas of high ______________ and dry conditions.

pressure

We could reduce our use of fossil fuels by relying on ______ energy.

renewable

The approach of a cold front is commonly accompanied by ______.

strong winds and storms

Latent heat is important in regulating the climate because ______.

water redistributes heat around the globe

How much did CO2 emissions from fossil fuels change between 1970 and 2010?

Doubled from about 15 to 30 Gt

The IPCC concluded in their 2013-2014 report that ______ caused by humans.

some climate changes were nearly certainly

Swirling funnel clouds are a characteristic of a building ______, a cyclonic storm that is common in the middle of the United States.

tornado

The mid-latitude Westerlies are ______________ winds that are influenced by the Coriolis effect and in turn affect hurricane paths along the U.S. Atlantic coast

trade

Scientific evidence suggests that when the flow of the Gulf Stream is ______, temperatures in northern Europe get much colder.

weakened

The difference between weather and climate is mainly that ______.

weather is short-lasting and local; climate involves long-term patterns

Oxygen isotopes have different ____________________, and as such, evaporate at different rates. The ratio of the heavy to light isotopes preserved in ice bubbles tells scientists about past temperatures.

weights

Air movement from high-pressure to low-pressure creates .

wind

Which of the following best describes the timing of climate changes in earth's past?

Climate change can occur abruptly or slowly.

The IPCC, or the ______, collects scientific evidence for policy makers.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Shifting subsidies toward wind, solar, and conservation and away from fossil fuels would make alternative energy sources more economical.

True

Emissions-trading programs literally put a(n) on reducing carbon emissions, creating a financial incentive to do so.

cost or price

All of the following are effects we have already seen as a result of climate change, except ______.

thickening of the Arctic sea ice

Which of the following are effective heat-trapping greenhouse gases?

- Nitrous oxide (N2O) - Methane (CH4) - Carbon dioxide (CO2) - Water vapor (H2O)

What happens when a cold front catches up to a warm front?

- Precipitation occurs as the warm, rising air becomes cool. - The warm air is forced upward.

Earth's atmosphere ______.

- protects life from radiation - redistributes water - retains heat from the Sun

The Gulf Stream strongly affects regional climates. Order these stages in how the Gulf Stream progresses from south to north up and across the Atlantic.

1. Solar heating in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea creates a pool of warm water 2. Circulation in the North Atlantic draws warm water from the Caribbean northeast, toward Canada 3. The warm current carries heat to northern Europe 4. Near Iceland warm water cools, becomes dense, and plunges downward

What is the Gulf Stream?

A vast current of warm water that brings heat from the Caribbean to northern Europe

Which of the following types of data used to reconstruct ancient climates provides us with the longest look back into how atmospheric temperatures have changed over time?

Air bubbles in ice cores

Why does it tend to rain or snow on mountaintops?

Air cools, as it is forced up over a mountain, causing water vapor to condense.

What is a monsoon?

An intense, regular seasonal rainfall

The United States and ____________ are the top emitters of carbon.

China

_______________ are cyclonic storms that form at low latitudes over warm ocean waters.

Hurricanes or Typhoons

Why does warm air rise when a warm front encounters a cold front?

Warm air is less dense than cold air.

Which of the following describes the Coriolis effect?

Winds (and currents) appear to bend left or right as they move.

A powerful, hurricane-force wind that circles the globe and that influences weather patterns is called ______.

a jet stream

Atmospheric ______, minute particles and liquid droplets, are important for capturing, distributing or reflecting energy.

aerosols

A front is formed when two ______ of differing temperature and density meet.

air masses

The Keeling curve shows atmospheric ______________ dioxide levels have been increasing since the 1950s, contributing to an amplified greenhouse effect and global warming.

carbon

There is strong evidence to suggest that when the flow of the Gulf Stream weakens, northern Europe experiences _________________ temperatures.

cooler/colder

What do we call the boundary between two air masses of different temperatures?

front

The IPCC reported in 2013-2014 that ________________ were the cause of recent climate change trends. (Hint: The answer is just one word.)

humans or people

The energy to support and strengthen a cyclone storm, such as a hurricane or tornado, comes from _____________ _________________ originating from warm water or land.

latent heat

Oxygen isotopes are important in recreating air temperatures from ice core records because ______.

lighter-weight isotopes evaporate more readily in cold years

What is the name for a regular, seasonal rain?

monsoon

The jet streams are becoming ______ as the climate warms and there is a decline in the north-south pressure gradients.

more irregular

The Milankovitch cycles refer to ______.

natural climate changes that occur in 26,000- to 100,000-year cycles

The most common gas in the atmosphere is

nitrogen

The chemical formula for _____________________ is O3, which forms an important layer in the stratosphere for absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

ozone

The melting of permafrost could act as a(n) ______________ feedback to climate change as it will add more carbon dioxide and _____________, to the atmosphere.

positive; methane

Atmospheric convection patterns occur as hot air ______ and cold air ______ and heat energy is redistributed in the atmosphere.

rises; sinks

Scientists and the public often think differently about climate data. Which of these are plausible explanations for this difference?

- Scientists are more familiar with reading trends in the data. - It can be easier to ignore or dispute change rather than acknowledge it.

By 2050, sea level rise is expected to greatly reduce the extent of which of these areas?

- The Bahamas - Southern Florida - Bangladesh

Which of the following describe the current state of emissions trading?

- They have been successful in reducing emissions. - Sometimes the pricing is too low to provide an incentive. - It is relatively easy to implement.

Carbon taxes are becoming increasingly popular as a way to decrease emissions because they ______.

- reduce consumption - fund renewable energy

The _______________ Protocol is the most well-known global agreement to control climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (Use only one word per blank.)

Kyoto

Troposphere

Turbulent; becomes cold at elevations of several km

Wind and solar are examples of _________________ energy, which can be replenished regularly, and may even be associated with less expensive construction costs than some oil and gas power plants.

alternative or renewable

Directly capturing carbon and storing it geologically, coupled with other activities such as reforestation, will reduce emissions at a rate that will be much ______ than pulling carbon directly out of the air.

cheaper

Rising sea level will affect millions of people because ______.

most of the largest cities are on coasts

Melting of polar ice represents a positive feedback in climate warming because ______.

open water has a lower albedo than ice, increasing heat storage

Compared to the transition between glacial and interglacial periods, temperatures and carbon dioxide concentrations currently are ______

rising very rapidly

Countries such as Sweden and Canada have successfully used carbon ______________ to reduce consumption and fund renewable energy, which all work to reduce emissions.

taxes or fees

Choose the descriptions that pertain to weather rather than to climate.

- Storms (short-term precipitation and temperature change) - Temporary variations in temperature - Precipitation resulting from circulation in the atmosphere

Which of the following describe climate models and how we best use them?

- We include both natural and human variables. - They help demonstrate cause and effect.

The Milankovitch cycles are natural, long-term cycles that alter the earth's climate. Which of these are related to Milankovitch cycles?

- Wobble in the earth's axis - Change in the shape of the earth's orbit around the sun - Change in the earth's axial tilt

An important conclusion from this EPICA ice core graph is that ______.

- changes in temperature closely match changes in CO2 - CO2 concentrations have not exceeded today's 390 ppm for at least 800,000 years

The approach of a warm front is accompanied by ______.

- drizzle - wispy cirrus clouds

Order the layers of our atmosphere. Place the layer nearest the earth's surface at the bottom of the list; put the outermost layer at the top of this list.

1. Thermosphere 2. Mesosphere 3. Stratosphere 4. Troposphere

The EPICA ice core record, the longest one so far, reaches back _______ years.

800,000

How does the Coriolis effect work?

Air masses travel at a constant speed, but the earth below them travels at different speeds at different latitudes.

______ is a greenhouse gas that comes primarily from fossil fuel use, but also deforestation and cement production. The primary sources of ______ are from agriculture and decay. ______ comes primarily from agriculture, as nitrogen is a major component of fertilizer.

CO2; CH4; N2O

What causes the rising air marked at (A) in the convection patterns shown here?

Heat absorbed by the earth's surface causes the air near the ground to warm.

_________________ are tropical ocean storms that can be hundreds of kilometers across and have wind speeds up to 200 mph; they can result in coastal flooding due to storm surges.

Hurricanes/Typhoons

Mesosphere

Located roughly between 50 and 85 km of elevation; cools dramatically with elevation

What phrase best describes the relative amount of greenhouse gases (%) in the atmosphere?

Low

Why are ocean currents important in modifying regional climates?

Ocean currents redistribute heat from low latitudes to high latitudes.

______ is important in the stratosphere where it absorbs ultraviolet radiation, but it is considered a pollutant closer to the earth's surface.

Ozone

The El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is an atmospheric shifting that occurs in the _______________ Ocean, involving changes in wind, ocean currents, and air and water temperatures.

Pacific

Which statement best describes how greenhouse gas emissions changed between 1970 and 2010?

The emissions of CO2, CH4, N2O, and fluorine all increased.

Thermosphere

Warms dramatically with height, due to ionizing radiation

The name given to the circulation pattern at (a) is _______.

a Hadley cell

Match the letters to the atmospheric conditions at those locations.

a → Hot, moist, rising air, causing frequent rainfall b → Sinking air, causing dry conditions c → Rising air, with warm and cold air masses meeting, causing irregular precipitation d → Trade winds, driven by the Coriolis effect

Ice cores tell us about ancient climates because ______.

air bubbles contain tiny samples of the ancient atmosphere

Arctic ________________ describes that the most extreme climate changes are occurring at northern high latitudes because of the loss of permafrost and declining albedo.

amplification

The greenhouse effect refers to the fact that certain gases in the atmosphere, such as methane, ______.

capture and retain some energy in the atmosphere

Tornadoes and hurricanes are examples of ______ storms, which rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere as a result of the Coriolis effect.

cyclonic

The "polar vortex" you may hear of or experience is a result of the ______________ ___________________ becoming more irregular because of warmer temperatures in the Arctic.

jet stream

Vehicle efficiency, building efficiency, new jobs and better air quality have all resulted from California's AB32 passed in 2006. Ultimately, these benefits save people _______________

money

This map depicts the processes involved in the Indian summer ___________.

monsoon

Albedo is an important factor in climate dynamics. Another word for albedo is ______.

reflectivity

The IPCC's mission is to ______.

review scientific evidence on the causes and effect of climate change

El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is an atmospheric shifting that occurs in the Pacific Ocean, involving changes in ______. (Select the best answer.)

wind, ocean currents, and air and water temperatures

Which of the following are major points included in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement?

- Financing low-carbon development in emerging countries is necessary. - Each country's emissions reduction goals, and their progress toward them, must be publicly available. - Currently carbon reduction plans need to be revised.

Which two lines of evidence provide the strongest support that climate change today is linked to human activities?

- Increasing air temperatures - Increasing CO2 concentrations

______ is an effect of climate change.

- Melting of Arctic sea ice and ice shelves in Antarctica - Increased sea level - Acidification of the ocean - Bleaching of coral reefs

The Kyoto Protocol called for countries to reduce their emissions of ______ by 5 to 10 percent below 1990 emissions by the year 2012.

- N2O - CH4 - CO2 - fluorine gases

The Kyoto Protocol called for countries to reduce their emissions of specific greenhouse gases by __________ to __________% by the year 2012 when compared to their country's 1990 emission levels.

5 or five; 10 or ten

Carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by ______ ppm over the last 60 years.

93

Greenhouse gases make up ______% of the atmosphere.

<0.1

Why does it rain?

Air cools, usually by rising, and water vapor condenses

The greenhouse effect is the process in which the atmosphere retains long-wave radiation emitted from __________________. (Use just one word for your answer,)

Earth

Stratosphere

Extremely stable; warms slightly with elevation, as ozone absorbs solar energy

Extremely cool coastal waters occurring along the west coast of Central America and parts of the east coasts of North and South America between El Niño events are components of a weather pattern called La ___________ (or "the little girl").

Nina or Niña

We use climate models to discover the causes of recent climate change. How do we know these changes are human-caused?

Observed changes fit models with human inputs better than those without.

The 2015 _____________ Climate Agreement involved 195 countries agreeing on revising their current carbon emission reduction plans and having ____________ carbon emissions as their global goal.

Paris; zero, 0, or no

Americans object to the idea of climate change for many reasons. Which of these reasons is best supported by evidence?

Reducing climate change would require transitions to different types of energy.

CO2

The most abundant human-caused GHG

What is arctic amplification?

The most extreme changes in climate are occurring in northern high latitudes.

True or False: Climate can change abruptly.

True

Collectively, minute particles and liquid droplets in the atmosphere are called ______.

aerosols

This graph shows that since about 1970, observed mean temperatures on land (black line) fit best the range of models that include ______.

anthropogenic plus natural forcings (pink shading)

The idea of wedge analysis is that very large problems ______.

can be broken down into small and reasonable tasks

Reforestation, improved forest management, increasing the _______________ content in soil, and using biofuels with ______________ capture together will make the largest contribution in reducing emissions. (Use the same word for both blanks.)

carbon

Warmer temperatures with climate change increases ______ in many locations which leads to less ______.

evapotranspiration; precipitation

Economists (as in the case of the Stern report) calculate that the financial cost of acting now to reduce climate change will be ______.

far less than the cost of doing nothing

The foggy and cool conditions in San Francisco Bay are just one example of how important ______ are in influencing climate on land.

ocean currents

Not only is the United States capable of creating all their energy needs with renewables by 2050, this transition would ______ in other areas including health care, employment, and weather-related losses.

save each person an average of $10,000 annually

The nature of scientific research is one of transparency, where data and interpretation are open, shared, and repeatedly reviewed. As such, ______ are untenable as an excuse in doubting climate change.

scientific mistakes

In order to reduce carbon emissions, it will be necessary for us to eliminate direct _______________ to the fossil fuel industry which are estimated to be over $1 trillion a year. (Use just one word for your answer.)

subsidies

Which of the following describes the Indian monsoon?

Convection over the hot, dry land surface initiates convective lifting, which causes precipitation.

____________________ storms rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as a result of the Coriolis effect.

Cyclonic

The ______ curve is a measurement of atmospheric carbon dioxide that began in the 1950s at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. It is one of the first indications that CO2 has been steadily increasing since that time.

Keeling

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the cycle between El Niño conditions and the extremely cool coastal waters during the pattern called ______.

La Niña

Why does latent heat intensify cyclonic storms, such as hurricanes?

Latent heat, released as air swirls upward, increases warming and further intensifies the storm.

What was the primary goal of California's AB32 Global Warming Solutions Act?

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels in stages