Study assessment 9
___________ is defined as significant change in the measure of temperature, precipitation and wind patterns, for example lasting for an extended period of time. Answers: phenology climate change greenhouse effect global warming weather
b.
Carbon dioxide is ________. Answers: a) the main anthropogenic greenhouse gas produced in the United States b) decreasing in the atmosphere c) the most abundant greenhouse gas d) the main non-human caused greenhouse gas produced in the United States e) the only greenhouse gas presently increasing in the atmosphere
a.
Of the following greenhouse gases, ________ concentrations have increased the most since 1750. Answers: a) methane b) carbon dioxide c) nitrous oxide d) ozone e) water vapor
a.
What is the greenhouse effect? Answers: a) a warming of Earth's atmosphere by greenhouse gases that trap reflected heat rather than allow it to escape into space b) a change in Earth's climate c) an increase in the size of the ozone hole d) an increase in Earth's average surface temperature e) an increase in the concentration of atmospheric gases
a.
Reports from Mauna Loa demonstrated ________. Answers: a) that CO2 levels have been stable over the last 40 years b) an increase in tropospheric CO2 from the 1950s to present c) that sediments deposited on the seafloor can yield clues about past climates d) that as distances from cities decreased, CO2 concentrations increased e) the presence of El Niño
b.
This is the main reason that sea levels have risen recently. Answers: a) saltwater intrusion b) ice and snow melting c) thermal contraction d) osmotic expansion e) thermal expansion
b.
An example of Flagstaff's climate would be: Answers: a) a year with little snowfall b) an unseasonably warm week in November c) cold winters and mild summers d) a weekend rainstorm e) a snowy day
c.
Earth's climate ________. Answers: a) will stabilize over the next century, according to the predictions of most scientists b) has been stable over the history of the planet c) is changing as a result of natural and human processes d) history is undeterminable because there is no method of studying climatic history of the planet e) has changed only once due to the evolution of green photosynthesizing plants
c.
Scientists evaluate concentrations of gases and other atmospheric constituents from the distant past by examining which of the following? Answers: a) gas bubbles trapped in soil b) gas bubbles trapped in the air c) gas bubbles trapped in ice d) gas bubbles trapped in the oceans e) gas bubbles trapped in rock
c.
The amount of change in thermal energy that a factor causes is _________. Answers: a) albedo b) climate change c) radiative forcing d) positive feedback e) greenhouse effect
c.
What initiative or group is responsible for the most reviewed and widely accepted reports that we have on climate change? Answers: a) International Test of Emissions (ITE) b) Clean Air Act c) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) d) Montreal Protocol e) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
c.
What is the planet's albedo? Answers: a) its ability to produce carbon dioxide b) its ability to heat the Earth c) its ability to reflect light d) its ability to absorb light e) its ability to produce stratospheric ozone
c.
Which three factors have the greatest effect on Earth's climate? Answers: a) the sun, the atmosphere, and the stars b) the sun, the moon, and the stars c) the sun, the atmosphere, and the ocean d) the sun, the ocean, and the stars e) the sun, the stars, and the moon
c.
he predominant greenhouse gas produced by human use of fossil fuels is __________. Answers: a) sulfate aerosols b) nitrous oxide c) Carbon dioxide d) water vapor e) methane
c.
All of the following are reasons why scientists shifted from using the term "global warming" to "climate change" EXCEPT: Answers: a) Some places are getting cooler b) The overall global temperature is actually decreasing c) Some places will be more affected by changes in precipitation than temperature. d) Global warming is only one aspect of the changes occurring in our climate e) Climate change is a more accurate and inclusive term for the changes we are seein
d.
How are warming temperatures causing a vicious cycle (positive feedback) that is leading to enhanced warming? Answers: a) Global warming decreases the planet's albedo, which absorbs more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. b) Ice and snow absorb light, and as they melt, Earth produces more carbon dioxide. c) Global warming increases the planet's albedo, leading to more global warming. d) Ice and snow reflect light, and as they melt, Earth absorbs more of the sun's rays. e) Global warming decreases the planet's albedo, which releases more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
d.
The greatest human impact on the carbon cycle has been through ________. Answers: a) use of synthetic fertilizers b) mining of limestone (calcium carbonate) c) depletion of aquifers d) combustion of fossil fuels e) use of pesticides
d.
What are sophisticated computer programs that allow scientists to understand how climate systems function and to make predictions for the future? Answers: a) CO2 measurements b) proxy indicators c) ice cores d) climate models e) sediment cores
d.
Which of these would NOT contribute to a global increase in temperature? Answers: a) increasing the industrial release of carbon dioxide b) increasing the use of gasoline-burning vehicles c) deforestation d) planting trees e) increasing the amount of livestock on Earth
d.
The atmosphere around Earth can cause global warming because ________. Answers: a) warm air cannot escape, as in a greenhouse b) plants absorb CO2 c) fossil fuels release heat d) plants release CO2 e) molecules in the atmosphere are warmed by radiation from Earth and retain that heat
e.
What is the difference between weather and climate? Answers: a) Weather occurs in the southern hemisphere, while climate occurs in the northern hemisphere. b) Weather occurs in the northern hemisphere, while climate occurs in the southern hemisphere. c) Weather and climate can be used interchangeably. d) Weather occurs over seasons and years, while climate occurs over hours and days. e) Weather occurs over hours and days, and climate occurs over seasons and years.
e.
Which greenhouse gas is produced by the raising of cattle? Answers: a) nitrogen oxides b) phosphorous c) helium d) propane e) methane
e.
Which of the following is not an indicator of climate change? Answers: a) melting glaciers b) shifts in geographic ranges for animal species c)changes in precipitation patterns d) changes in phenology e) short term temperature changes
e.
