Geology Chapter 11

Marine organisms preserve the current oxygen-isotope ratio in their _______________.

shells

The troposphere extends from the Earth up to about _______________ km.

18

Approximately when did the rapid increase in human-produced atmospheric CO2 begin?

1950

As of 2015, what is the approximate CO2 level in Earth's atmosphere?

400 ppm

What was the relationship between Earth's temperature and incoming solar radiation between 1998 and 2014?

Earth's temperature rose slowly during a period of weaker solar energy.

What do the vast majority of climatologists who have carefully examined the data agree on regarding human-induced global warming?

Human-induced global warming has begun and is increasing

Recent increases in carbon dioxide levels are plotted on a graph called the

Keeling curve

Which of the following is the best example of a positive feedback effect?

Melting ice exposes the dark surface of the ocean, which reflects less of the sun's energy than ice. This heats the water and in turn, melts more ice.

Judge the following sentence: Even though water vapor has the greatest effect as a greenhouse gas, it is not normally discussed as one BECAUSE water vapor is completely natural and we have no control over it.

The assertion and reason are both correct.

Judge the following sentence: Temperatures have risen faster in the oceans than on the continents BECAUSE the ocean has a greater heat capacity than land.

The assertion is incorrect but the reason is correct.

Why is it warmer in the northern hemisphere in July than it is in December?

The sun's rays shine more directly on the northern hemisphere in the summer than in the winter

How are tree rings used as proxy data to provide an indirect record of past climate conditions?

Tree rings are thicker and the wood is denser when growing conditions are better

Incoming solar radiation is short-wave, while radiation outward from the Earth is long-wave.

True

The amount of water vapor in the clouds contributes to changing albedo.

True

The effect of aerosols can be best described as ____.

reflecting sunlight and cooling the atmosphere

What contains the largest reservoir of carbon?

rock

The three methods of heat transfer are conduction, radiation, and _______________.

convection

What are an example and an effect of a high-albedo surface?

glacial ice; keeps Earth cool

According to analysis of air in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores, global temperature has ____.

increased and decreased in cycles over the past 400,000 years

Approximately when did Earth's atmospheric temperature begin rising?

late 1700s

In addition to carbon dioxide, _______________ and _______________ have risen above their pre-industrial levels in Earth's atmosphere.

methane, nitrogen oxides

Which of the following is NOT a layer of Earth's atmosphere?

Allosphere

Different surfaces reflect more or less sunlight, a property called _______________.

albedo

Most of the energy in China, India, and many other developing countries is produced using _______________ as a fuel.

coal

In a single year, which of the following is the largest emitter of carbon dioxide into Earth's atmosphere?

coal-fired power plants