Chapter 9

The greenhouse effect in the atmosphere occurs because ______________

CO2, water vapor, methane and other gases absorb infrared (terrestrial) radiation

________________ means that net-greenhouse gas emissions are zero.

Carbon Neutral

-All of the following are aspects of climate change except:______________ Increase in Earth's average temperature. Increase in surface ocean water temperature. Rapid melting of the polar ice sheets and Greenland glaciers. Declining sea level. Accelerated rates of energy use.

Declining sea level.

________________ stated that signatory nations must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2012.

Kyoto Protocol

Which of these best describes the comparison of observed changes in CO2 production and IPCC model scenarios of expected CO2 production?

Observed CO2 production has exceeded the worst model scenarios.

As far as we are currently aware, who were the first people to notice the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle?

Peruvian fishermen

What are the ecological implications of global warming?

Plants and animals that are residing in fragmented habitats may not be able to move to a suitable habitat.

Methane is:__________________

Produced anywhere organic matter decays without oxygen

Data from Mauna Loa show that CO2 levels since 1958 have

Risen steadily, except for declines in the northern summer

Nineteen of the 20 warmest of the last 150 years have occurred since 1980.

True

There has been an increase in frequency and intensity of storms and hurricanes.

True

An increase in albedo would mean there would be

an increase in reflectivity.

Paying to plant trees because you use carbon in your daily life would be an example of

carbon offsets.

When cool, dry air sinks from the upper atmosphere toward the Earth's surface, it is

compressed and becomes warmer.

Which of these is unlikely to result from climate change?

movement of tectonic plates.

The two main gases making up the lower atmosphere are __________________

nitrogen and oxygen.

Which of these is NOT among our most important greenhouse gases? sulfur dioxide methane (CH4) nitrous oxide (N2O) fluorine gases (such as CFCs) carbon dioxide (CO2)

sulfur dioxide

When El Niño occurs every three to seven years, a mass of warm Pacific water that is usually pushed westward by trade winds

surges back eastward toward South America.

The change in ocean temperatures brought on by climate change could lead to an extreme cold period in Europe due to a change in the

thermohaline circulation.

The atmospheric zone where most weather events occur is the __________________

troposphere

The correct sequence of atmospheric zones upward from the earth's surface is

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere.

The "Keeling curve" showing CO2 measurements at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, shows that concentrations of CO2 have reached approximately what level, in parts per million (PPM)?

400 ppm

Which of the following would have the highest albedo? Fresh snow Open water Forest Soil

Fresh snow

Which of these is true about ways that we might slow climate change, according to climate policy analysts? There is no way to slow climate change. There is no way to slow climate change without dramatically reducing our quality of life. Slowing change is impossible without new technologies. We can use a variety of climate "wedges," but these will cause considerable social disruption. Developing a variety of existing strategies, such as conservation, reforestation, and alternative energy, could dramatically slow climate change.

Developing a variety of existing strategies, such as conservation, reforestation, and alternative energy, could dramatically slow climate change.