Human Activity & Climate

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has initiated several programs to regulate the emission of greenhouse gases by human activities. Examples include ENERGY STAR and Green Power Partnership. Programs such as those described above are designed to ___ the rate of greenhouse gas emissions in order to ____ the process of global warming.

--reduce --slow

The pie chart shows the different sources from which methane gas is produced in the United States. Image courtesy of EPA Which of the following best describes what the pie chart shows? A. Changes in human activities can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. B. Methane emissions can be reduced by using natural gas and petroleum systems. C. The amount of methane in the atmosphere does not depend on human activities. D. Methane emission can be decreased by creating more landfills.

A. Changes in human activities can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The graph below shows the average temperature on Earth over several decades. Modified from image courtesy of NASA If the trend shown by the graph continues, how will this most likely affect humans? A. Farmers will have to adapt by planting crops that tolerate warmer climates. B. Scientists will have to design buildings that are not as easily damaged by earthquakes. C. Engineers will have to redesign airplanes since the force of gravity will change. D. People will have to plan for shorter days as this will affect the rotation of Earth.

A. Farmers will have to adapt by planting crops that tolerate warmer climates.

Factories that produce cement account for around 5% of global emissions of carbon dioxide worldwide. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that absorbs solar radiation and rereleases it into Earth's atmosphere. Cement production has increased over time because demand for cement has increased. Suppose that cement production continues to increase significantly over the next 50 years. Assuming that all other factors remain the same, what impact will this most likely have on the Earth? A. Global temperatures on Earth will increase. B. Global temperatures on Earth will decrease. C. Gases other than carbon dioxide will become more concentrated in the atmosphere. D. Gases other than carbon dioxide will become depleted in the atmosphere.

A. Global temperatures on Earth will increase.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat in the atmosphere. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from their surroundings. When trees are burned during deforestation, a great deal of stored carbon is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. The trees are also no longer present to absorb carbon dioxide from their environment. Due to these reasons, deforestation leads to an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Deforestation has increased over time as humans make room for more urbanization and use wood as a resource. The areas marked red in the image below show areas that experienced heavy deforestation from 2000 to 2005. Image courtesy of NASA/USGS/UMD/SDSU Suppose that deforestation continues to increase as the human population increases. How will this most likely impact the Earth? A. Global temperatures will increase. B. Volcanic eruptions will decrease. C. Global temperatures will decrease. D. Volcanic eruptions will increase.

A. Global temperatures will increase.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed several programs to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and, ultimately, global warming. The SmartWay Transport Partnership targets greenhouse gas reductions in the freight industry. The Combined Heat and Power Partnership focuses on power generation industries. Programs like Clean School Bus USA and the Green Vehicle Guide focus on transportation. Based on the information above, A. efforts to reduce global warming involve many different human activities. B. only cars and trucks cause global warming. C. humans cannot do anything to reduce global warming. D. global warming can be reduced only by using solar power.

A. efforts to reduce global warming involve many different human activities.

The image shows how methane is captured from landfills. Several countries would like to use this process to produce energy. Image courtesy of EPA What other benefit does methane capture offer? A. It helps increase the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. B. It helps reduce the amount of a greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. C. It helps in the formation of clouds. D. It helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

B. It helps reduce the amount of a greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.

The majority of the world's energy is produced by burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuel combustion results in the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Which of the following is the most likely risk of using fossil fuels as an energy source? A. Greenhouse gases cause the ozone in the stratosphere to break down, leaving Earth vulnerable to UV radiation. B. The release of large amounts of greenhouse gases can change Earth's climate. C. Adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere helps plants perform photosynthesis more efficiently. D. When large amounts of carbon dioxide enter the atmosphere, the gas accumulates in toxic amounts in the human body.

B. The release of large amounts of greenhouse gases can change Earth's climate.

The maps below compare global temperatures in two different years—1950 and 2012. The more blue a region is, the colder it was compared to the mid-twentieth century average. The more red a region is, the warmer it was compared to the mid-twentieth century average. Images courtesy of NASA If a student wants to understand what has led to this change, what is the best scientific question he or she could ask an expert? A. Are renewable energy resources better for the environment than nonrenewable ones? B. What processes cause global temperatures to change from one year to another? C. How many different ways do humans generate energy from fossil fuels? D. How does global warming impact cities along the world's coastlines?

B. What processes cause global temperatures to change from one year to another?

The graph below shows the average temperature on Earth over several decades. Modified from image courtesy of NASA If the trend shown by the graph continues, how will it most likely affect the environment? A. more freezing weather B. melting glaciers C. more volcanic activity D. cooling oceans

B. melting glaciers

Based on the trend shown in the graph above, which of the following best describes how the release of carbon dioxide as pollution affects Earth's climate? A. The polluting carbon dioxide has no effect on Earth's climates. B. The polluting carbon dioxide can make Earth's climates cooler. C. The polluting carbon dioxide can make Earth's climates warmer. D. The polluting carbon dioxide can make Earth's climates drier.

C. The polluting carbon dioxide can make Earth's climates warmer.

According to an August 2011 report from a government research laboratory, the amount of carbon dioxide (in parts per million) in the Earth's atmosphere increased by almost 25% between 1958 and 2011. The graph below illustrates this increase as well as the yearly cycle, which is driven by the seasons. Image courtesy of NOAA If a student wants to understand what has led to this increase, what is the best scientific question he or she could ask an expert? A. Does the Earth receive more direct sunlight today than it did 50 years ago? B. Are average global temperatures today greater than they were 50 years ago? C. What processes add significant amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere? D. How many different processes remove water vapor from the atmosphere?

C. What processes add significant amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

Over the past 60 years, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been continually increasing. Many scientists hypothesize that this increase has led to an imbalance in the carbon cycle and a climatic trend known as global warming. In which of the following ways could humans help the carbon cycle return to normal? A. cut down trees and other large plants that depend on carbon dioxide B. cap volcanoes so that they do not release more carbon dioxide C. reduce the amount of fossil fuels they combust D. pump nitrogen and oxygen into the air to help rebalance the atmosphere

C. reduce the amount of fossil fuels they combust

The combustion of fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide gas. Scientists believe that the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere will cause the Earth's surface temperature to increase and the pH of the oceans to decrease. The table below shows the carbon dioxide emissions and world population data for the past 200 years. Year World Population (billions) Carbon Dioxide Emissions (metric tons carbon per year) 1800 1 100 1850 1.3 175 1900 1.7 500 1950 2.5 1800 2004 6 8000 What conclusion can be drawn from the data in the table? A. Carbon dioxide emissions tend to increase as population increases. B. The emissions for 6 billion people is the same as 6 times the emissions for 1 billion. C. Carbon dioxide emissions decrease as population increases. D. There is no correlation between carbon dioxide emissions and population.

Carbon dioxide emissions tend to increase as population increases.

The first graph shows carbon dioxide emission from fossil fuels between 1900 and 2008. Image courtesy of EPA The second graph shows the annual mean temperatures and the 5-year mean temperatures between 1880 and 2007. Image courtesy of NASA Which of the following conclusions are supported by these two graphs? A. As the average global temperatures decrease, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions decrease. B. As the amount of carbon dioxide increases, the average global temperatures decrease. C. Increased greenhouse gas emissions have no effect on global temperatures. D. Increased greenhouse gas emissions have an effect on global temperatures.

D. Increased greenhouse gas emissions have an effect on global temperatures.

Tropospheric ozone is produced when air pollutants from automobiles and factories chemically react with sunlight. The ozone that is produced in the Earth's troposphere traps heat close to the surface of the Earth. Global industrialization is causing an increase in tropospheric ozone that will most likely lead to A. an increase in volcanic activity on Earth. B. a decrease in global surface temperatures. C. a decrease in volcanic activity on Earth. D. an increase in global surface temperatures.

D. an increase in global surface temperatures.

Dave is planning to build an electric power station to supply electricity to his community. To help him decide which type of electric power station to build, he has put together the table below, which summarizes some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with different technologies. Power Technology Advantage Disadvantage hydroelectric no greenhouse gas emissions upsets natural ecosystems coal inexpensive releases greenhouse gases and other pollutants wind no greenhouse gas emissions can't always supply electricity when it's needed solar no greenhouse gas emissions expensive to build, install, and replace natural gas easily supplies electricity when it's needed releases greenhouse gases and other pollutants If Dave wants to use a technology that does not directly impact climate, which of the above technologies should he consider? A. solar, wind, and natural gas B. coal, wind, and natural gas C. hydroelectric, coal, and solar D. hydroelectric, wind, and solar

D. hydroelectric, wind, and solar

Water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, and nitrous oxide are all considered greenhouse gases. Cattle produce a large volume of methane gas. Which of the following is most likely a consequence of the growing number of cattle in farms around the world? A. increase in oxygen emissions B. increase in the biodiversity of the area C. increase in the area covered by forests D. increase in global temperatures

D. increase in global temperatures

Which of the following human activities do climate scientists agree has contributed to global warming? []the burning of gasoline in combustion engines []the burning of fossil fuels in electric power plants []the logging and burning of trees in forests around the world

[]the burning of gasoline in combustion engines []the burning of fossil fuels in electric power plants []the logging and burning of trees in forests around the world