Environmental Science - Ch 13

The development of an ozone hole over the poles is a result of human activities and begins when molecular _______ from chlorofluorocarbons is released into the atmosphere and collects on polar stratospheric clouds.

Chlorine

Cool summers, Cold winters with lots of snow and 75 cm of precipitation

Climate

The long-term, prevailing atmospheric conditions

Climate

The ______ is a process by which the atmosphere traps heat that is radiated from Earth's surface.

Greenhouse effect

Because water________, ocean currents have a great effect on climate

Holds large amounts of heat

Sea levels will rise

Ice caps melting

How long will it take for chlorofluorocarbons released from Earth's surface today to reach the stratosphere?

10 to 20 years

Scientists estimate that a single chlorine molecule in the CFC structure can destroy as many as _____ ozone molecules

100,000

A predicted increase in Earth's average temperature caused by human activities and the subsequent release of gases such as carbon dioxide is known as __________.

Global warming

Which of the following would occur if Earth were not tilted relative to the plane of its orbit?

Temperate regions would no longer have seasonal changes in climate.

Ultraviolet radiation is particularly dangerous because

it can damage genetic material in cells.

The _____________ is an international agreement that seeks to limit CO2 emissions from developed countries.

kyoto protocol

Powerful computers are required to perform the calculations for scientists to develop climatic ________.

models

Latitude strongly influences climate because _____ solar energy falls on areas that are closer to the equator than to the poles.

more

As the amount of ozone in the stratosphere decreases,

more ultraviolet light is able to reach Earth's surface.

a gas that can reach the upper atmosphere after a large scale volcanic eruption

sulfur dioxide

During summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the Northern Hemisphere experiences

winter

Populations of tiny, shrimp-like animals known as ________ may be reduced by global warming.

zooplankton

Which of the following statements related to global warming is not accurate?

Only fossil fuels, not living plants, release carbon dioxide when burned.

Polar vortex play a role in the formation

Polar stratospheric clouds

Sulfur dioxide can reduce the amount reaching the earth's surface

Sunlight

Which of the following correctly states an observation that helps to explain circulation patterns in the atmosphere?

Warm air rises and cools as it rises.

The gas most responsible for the greenhouse effect

Water vapor

As a result of the destruction of stratospheric ozone, scientists believe that ____________, including frogs, toads, and salamanders, will be especially vulnerable to increased UV radiation.

amphibians

Global warming can do the following a. Could cause beach erosion b. Predicted increase in Earth's average temperature c. all of the above

c. all of the above

The statement "Cool summers, cold winters with lots of snow—about 75 cm of precipitation each year" describes __________.

climate

What is a long term change in meteorological events/ weather do to natural or human activity

climate change

La Niña is the _____ phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle.

cold

An important property of air circulation is

cold air is denser than warm air

The thinning of the ozone layer a. occurs over both polar regions. b. is related to seasonal changes. c. will take many years to reverse. d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Which of the following best describes the effect of a mountain range on the climate of a region? a. The coastal side of the range usually has high levels of rain. b. A desert is often found on the inland side of the range. c. Average temperatures are lower at high elevations than at the base of the mountains. d. all of the above

d. all of the above

is greater for cold air, causing cold air to push warm air up

density

One serious consequence of global warming, a rise in sea levels, could result in ___________ of beaches.

erosion

The critical difference between today's global warming and Earth's previous climate changes is that

global warming may occur much more rapidly than it did during previous climate changes.

Water vapor and carbon dioxide help trap heat in the atmosphere near the surface of Earth, so they are called ______________.

greenhouse gases

A continuous record from Mauna Loa, Hawaii, reveals that annual average atmospheric CO2 concentrations have ________ since 1958

increased

Which of the following would not be a consequence of a rise in global temperature?

increased polar ice mass

An effect of El Niño is _______ in the southern part of the United States.

increased rainfall

Strong circulating winds over Antarctica, known as the __________, play a role in the formation of the polar stratospheric clouds.

polar vortex

Sulfur dioxide in the upper atmosphere can lead to the formation of ______________ that can reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the surface of Earth.

polar vortex

One thing that is not a damaging effect of ultraviolet light on the amphibian population is

Interference with photosynthesis

International agreement to limit CO2 emissions

Kyoto Protocol

CH4, stinky greenhouse gas produced by decomposing material, swampy areas, and gassy livestock

Methane

The international agreement to limit CFC production

Montreal Protocol

Trade winds, westerlies, and polar easterlies are examples of _______winds.

prevailing

A(n) ________ is often found on the inland side of a mountain range.

rain shadow

Though CFC production has been cut back, the threat to stratospheric ozone continues because CFCs _______ in the atmosphere for decades.

remain

If polar ice masses melt as a result of global warming, sea levels will _________.

rise

The average global temperature has _____ during the 20th century.

risen some years and fallen others, but has increased overall

Climate in a region is

the long-term, prevailing atmospheric conditions

A true statement about greenhouse gases is that they

trap heat that is radiated upward from Earth.

Large quantities of gaseous sulfur dioxide can reach the upper atmosphere following a(n) __________.

volcanic eruptions

A true statement concerning the physical properties of air is that

warm air can hold more water vapor than an equal amount of cold air

Rain frequently results whenever

warm, moist air rises

Which of the following gases is most responsible for the greenhouse effect?

water vapor

The statement "It's hot and sunny today—the temperature is 88ºF at 11 a.m." describes ______.

weather

During a(an) ______ period, winds push warm water eastward in the Pacific Ocean.

EL Nino

The attempt to slow global warming is made difficult by

Economic factors, Social factors, and Political factors

The pattern of ___________ determines Earth's precipitation pattern

Global atmospheric circulation, Volcanic eruptions, and solar activity

Which of the following best describes measurements of CO2 levels in the atmosphere since 1958?

CO2 levels are higher in winter and lower in summer, but the winter "highs" have increased each year and the summer "lows" have not fallen as far.

CO₂, a greenhouse gas produced when fossil fuels or wood are burned for energy

Carbon Dioxide

In an area away from forests and cities, geochemist Charles David Keeling measured the amount of

Carbon dioxide in the air

Damage to __________ in cells of living organisms is caused by exposure to UV radiation.

DNA

Stratospheric ________ is destroyed by chlorine atoms released from CFCs.

ozone

As a result of the destruction of stratospheric ozone, single-celled organisms called __________, that live near the ocean's surface, can be killed by increased UV radiation.

phytoplankton