Global Change
How can local environmental changes have global effects?
All of the above are true.
Which of the following continents was not covered by ice during the Pleistocene ice age?
Australia
Which of the following best describes the impact of glaciers upon the surface of the earth?
Glaciers scraped across the surface and altered landscapes and the course of rivers.
Which of the following theories concerning global climate change is the most widely accepted
Global climate is changing due to burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
Why are there different theories about the effects of global warming?
Global climate is complex, so changes in global climate are hard to predict.
Explain how scientists can have multiple theories about the effects of global warming.
Global warming consist of many different factors. The complex system makes it difficult to accurately predict the changes.
Which of the following is not a current theory regarding global climate change?
Higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will have no effect.
Why did scientists think the world was experiencing global cooling between the 1940's and 1970's.
Pollution was blocking sunlight.
Explain how glaciers can change the landscape and physical characteristics of continents.
The advancing front of a glacier acts like a bulldozer, scraping across the landscape and carving out new features. This can carve out new courses for rivers and lakes and flatten out landscapes.
How does an increase in the annual melt season in Antarctica have a global effect?
The water in the melting glaciers can cause sea levels to rise.
The scientific explanation for global warming is very dependent on the _______ atom.
carbon
Which of the following is a way that studies have determined industry might be affected by legislation on global warming?
creation of new jobs and technology
Human activities _______.
exacerbate the natural greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases are best described as _______.
gases that trap energy from the sun in Earth's atmosphere
Which of the following predictions about global climate change is directly related to an increase in the burning of fossil fuels?
global warming
Changes to the global climate could include _______.
all of the above
Which of the following is predicted to be an impact of global warming?
all of the above
In New Hampshire, the length of time ice covers on Mirror Lake each year has declined by _______.
1/2 day per year
Explain how an increase of the annual melt season in Antarctica can have global effects.
A longer melt season in Antarctica leads to a greater loss of landbased glacier ice. The water from the melted land glaciers runs into the oceans and leads to an overall increase in volume. This change has global effects.
Which of the following is not a theory supporting global warming?
Carbon dioxide is an insignificant greenhouse gas.
Explain how local environmental changes can have global effects.
Changes in local environments can have global effects for several reasons. Animals, like birds, migrate from region to region. A change in one of their environments can cause behavioral changes which will affect other organisms living in these environments. Air and water move among regions. Changes to the composition of air in one location will affect other locations as the air moves. The same is true of water.
Explain why entering an interglacial period resulted in an increase in biodiversity on Earth.
During an ice age the conditions on Earth favor glaciers and cold deserts over more hospitable environments. Therefore, when the ice age ended and glaciers retreated the more hospitable grasslands and forests that developed hosted greater biodiversity.
Which of the following continents was covered by glaciers during the Pleistocene ice age?
Europe
Explain why scientists are concerned about human activities that cause global warming if global warming is caused by the greenhouse effect and the greenhouse effect is a natural part of Earth's climate.
Even if global warming is a natural part of Earth's climate, human activities are accelerating it. Global temperatures are expected to rise much faster than they would have naturally, which may result in severe environmental and climate changes across the globe. These predicted impacts of global warming could have severe, negative impacts to humans.
The early arrival of spring in New Hampshire has no effect on wildlife.
False
What are the predicted consequences of legislation for global warming on industry?
It is predicted that legislation for global warming will actually have positive effects on industry. New jobs will be created through the introduction of new technology and processes and businesses should save money through pollution reducing practices and technology.
"In a 2009 study, presented by the National Academy of Science, 97% of climate scientists agree that human activity is causing global warming." Which of the following statements is best supported by this study?
Most climate scientists believe that there is evidence that explains global warming.
What are some possible future changes in the global climate?
One likely future change is an increase in the overall global temperature due to global warming caused by the greenhouse gases. This change could lead to other effects such as an increase in sea levels, a decrease in resources, an increase in disease, and ocean acidification.
Which of the following statements about current theories on global warming is true?
Scientists generally agree that global warming is taking place.
Which of the following best explains why air pollution that was once blamed for global cooling is now considered responsible for global warming?
Scientists mistakenly thought pollution reflected sunlight and heat rather than absorbed it.
Explain why some groups doubt the occurrence of global warming and global climate change.
Some groups point out that water is a more significant contributor to warming in the atmosphere. Therefore, they argue that carbon dioxide is not a significant greenhouse gas so any observed warming is not the result of human activity. To many of these groups any discussion of global warming or climate change is a form of media alarmism.
Why was the concern over global cooling replaced with a concern over global warming?
Steady surface temperature increases were noted between the 1970's and 90's.
During ices ages our planet supports more glaciers and deserts than forests.
True
Global warming is a theory accepted by a majority of scientists.
True
Scientists disagree about the possible effects of global warming.
True
Explain why the greenhouse effect is not entirely a man-made phenomenon.
While many human activities produce greenhouse gases, the greenhouse effect is actually a natural process. Many atmospheric gases help trap heat in Earth's atmosphere, including natural gases like carbon dioxide. So while human activities exacerbate the natural greenhouse effect, it is not solely due to them.
Which of the following local environmental changes will not have global effects?
none of the above
Many scientists expect global temperatures to _______ by 2100.
rise 1.4-5.8ºC
The scientific community disagrees about _______.
the rate of global climate change
Without the greenhouse effect, Earth would be _______.
too cold to support our current ecosystem