Astronomy 105- Chapter 7
Where is the most CO2 that has outgassed from Earth's volcanoes?
locked up in rocks
Make a prediction: If the rise in carbon dioxide concentration continues at its current pace, the concentration in the year 2050 will be about _____ parts per million.
460
In general, what kind of terrestrial planet would you expect to have the thickest lithosphere?
A small planet
Which of a planet's fundamental properties has the greatest effect on its level of volcanic and tectonic activity?
size
Shown following are three terrestrial planets of our solar system. Rank the planets based on the amount of time the surface of the planet has had a moderate to high level of volcanic/tectonic activity, from longest to shortest.
Earth, Mars, Mercury
Shown below are the four terrestrial planets of our solar system. Assume that all the planets started out equally hot inside. Rank the planets based on their expected cooling rates, from fastest cooling to slowest cooling
Fastest to Slowest: Mercury, Mars, Venus, Earth
The following images show four types (wavelengths) of light. Rank these from left to right based on the amount of each that is emitted (as thermal radiation) by Earth's surface, from greatest to least. If you think that two (or more) types should be ranked as equal, drag one on top of the other(s) to show this equality.
Infrared [Greatest], Visible, X-Ray, & Ultraviolet Light [All least]
Which of the following Mars surface features provides dramatic evidence that volcanism has played a role in shaping the surface of Mars?
Olympus Mons
What do we conclude if a planet has few impact craters of any size?
Other geological processes have wiped out craters.
Which heat source continues to contribute to Earth's internal heat?
Radioactive Decay
Assuming that features you see on Mars are similar to features found on Earth, what would a casual inspection of the interactive photo of Mars lead you to suspect about water on Mars?
Surface water only exists as frozen ice
Notice that the peaks and troughs on the temperature graph occur at the about the same times as peaks and troughs on the carbon dioxide graph. What can we infer from this fact alone?
There is a correlation between the carbon dioxide concentration and the global average temperature.
According to scientists, the naturally occurring greenhouse effect makes Earth about 31∘C warmer than it would be if there were no greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. How do scientists "know" what Earth's temperature would be without greenhouse gases?
They calculate this temperature from Earth's reflectivity and distance from the Sun.
How many of the five terrestrial worlds are considered "geologically dead"?
Two
Which terrestrial world has the most atmospheric gas?
Venus
The following images show the four terrestrial planets in our solar system. Rank the planets from left to right based on the strength of the greenhouse effect occurring at their surfaces, from strongest to weakest
Venus, Earth, Mars Mercury
In Part A, you found that Earth emits only infrared light. This infrared light can be absorbed by greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, in the atmosphere. In fact, all the terrestrial planets emit infrared light from their surfaces. The following images show the four terrestrial planets in our solar system. Rank these planets from left to right based on the total amount of infrared-absorbing greenhouse gases in their atmospheres, from greatest to least.
Venus, Earth, Mars, Mercury
The following images show the four terrestrial planets in our solar system. Rank the planets from left to right based on the amount by which the greenhouse effect increases their surface temperatures, compared to what their temperatures would be without the greenhouse effect, from largest to smallest increase.
Venus, Earth, Mars, Mercury
The following images show the four terrestrial planets in our solar system. Rank these planets from left to right based on the atmospheric pressure at the surface, from highest to lowest.
Venus, Earth, Mars, Mercury
The following images show the four terrestrial planets in our solar system. Rank these planets from left to right based on the total amount of gas in their atmospheres, from most to least.
Venus, Earth, Mars, Mercury
Which of the following is a strong greenhouse gas?
Water vapor
Based solely on an understanding of the greenhouse effect (as displayed in the figure), which one of the following statements is true?
We should expect an increase in the greenhouse gas concentration to lead to global warming.
In Part A, you found that Planet Z should not have strong winds and violent storms. What single change to Planet Z's characteristics would cause it to have strong winds and violent storms?
a faster rotation rate
In Part A, you found that Planet Z should not have polar ice caps or liquid water. What single change to Planet Z's characteristics would allow it to have these things?
a greater distance from its star
In Part A, you found that Planet Z should not have seasons. What single change to Planet Z's characteristics would cause it to have seasons?
a larger axis tilt
On the graphs shown, you can identify an ice age by looking for __________.
a trough (bottom of a dip) on the temperature graph
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor, make Earth warmer than it would be otherwise because these gases __________.
absorb infrared light emitted by the surface
You have found that Planet Z should have active tectonics and volcanism and an atmosphere produced by volcanic outgassing. What single factor explains why the planet should have these characteristics?
has a large size for a terrestrial planet.
When you zoom in on the section labeled "Southern Highlands," which geologic processes are most clearly evident?
impact cratering and erosion
Earth's temperature remains fairly steady, which means that Earth must return nearly the same amount of energy to space that it receives from the Sun. In what forms does Earth return most of this energy to space?
infrared light emitted by the surface and atmosphere visible light reflected by clouds visible light reflected by the surface
The oxygen in Earth's atmosphere was released by
life
The average temperature over the past 1000 years has been about 15∘C. From the graphs, you can conclude that Earth's average temperature during the past 800,000 years has __________.
varied between about 7∘C and 19∘C
Although the data show only a correlation between the carbon dioxide concentration and the global average temperature, scientists have other reasons to think that a rise in the carbon dioxide concentration actually causes a rise in the global average temperature. All of the following statements are true. Which statements lend support to the idea that carbon dioxide is a cause of planetary warming?
1.Models of the greenhouse effect successfully predict the temperatures of Venus and Mars from their atmospheric carbon dioxide amounts. 2.Models of Earth's climate that include recent increases in the carbon dioxide concentration match observed temperature increases better than those that do not include it. 3. We understand the physical mechanism of the greenhouse effect, through which carbon dioxide can increase a planet's temperature.
Which describes our understanding of flowing water on Mars?
It was important once, but no longer.
Based on the evidence that atmospheric carbon dioxide is a cause of planetary warming, what aspect of the graphs should most concern us?
The carbon dioxide concentration today is significantly higher than at any time in the past 800,000 years and is rapidly rising.
All of the following statements are true. Which one provides strong observational support for the claim that greenhouse gases make a planet warmer than it would be otherwise?
Venus has a higher average temperature than Mercury.
Based on Planet Z's size, orbital distance, and rotation rate, which of the following properties is it likely to have?
active volcanoes active tectonics an atmosphere produced by outgassing
The energy that warms Earth's surface comes primarily in the form of __________.
visible light from the Sun