Chapter 17 & 18 Test
Which of the following accurately describes the greenhouse effect?
A portion of infrared radiation (heat) is radiated back to Earth by certain gases in the atmosphere
All of the following statements about patterns of temperature and precipitation are true EXCEPT
Along the Earth's surface, the air of a Hadley cell moves away from the equator (air in Hadley cell actually moves towards equator)
The location where the greatest number of people would be directly affected by a rise in ocean level
B (on the coast)
The deflection of global wind trajectories due to the rotation of Earth is known as
Coriolis effect
The climate of most eastern North America is thought to be moderated by which warm current of the North Atlantic Gyre?
Gulf Stream
Humans have impacted the sulfur cycle by increasing sulfur emissions into the atmosphere. These emissions react with water to form which compound?
H2SO4
Why is troposphere considered densest layer of the atmosphere?
Has the strongest pull of gravity
Which of the following is a positive feedback loop in global warming?
Increased temperatures lead to decreases in ice cover in polar regions
Clean Air Act regulates all the following EXCEPT A) stratospheric ozone protection B) acid rain deposition/control C) indoor air quality D) noise pollution
Indoor Air Quality
Which of the following types of releases of greenhouse gases from an anthropogenic source is shown in the diagram?
Industrial and agricultural practices releasing CH4 into the atmosphere
Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is also a by-product of anaerobic respiration?
Methane (CH4)
Which of the following best explains why scientists are increasingly concerned about the effect of methane gas emissions on global climate if they are a relatively small percent of greenhouse gases released?
Methane gas has a higher global warming potential (GWP) than carbon dioxide does, so it can trap more heat in the atmosphere
What will happen to methane levels in the atmosphere at 60°N to 75ºN latitude from 2018 to 2027 if the trend from 2011 to 2017 continues?
Methane levels in the atmosphere will increase because melting or thawing permafrost will lead to an increase in the amount of organic matter that will decompose.
What is the cause of coral bleaching?
Ocean WARMING (kills off the algae, making it lose its color. Ocean acidification causes the loss of calcium carbonate, weakening shells but does not cause the bleaching effect)
Which biome would be most threatened by global mean temperatures rising more than 2º C?
Taiga
Which BEST describes composition of Earth's atmosphere?
The atmosphere is a layer of gases that surround the Earth which absorbs radiation and moderates climate
Which of the following causes seasonal variability in temperature and precipitation?
The tilt of the Earth's axis
What impacts sea level rise the most?
Thermal expansion of sea water
Many scientists maintain that a rise in sea level has occurred in the last hundred years as a result of global warming. If this is true, which of the following factors best explains such a rise?
Thermal expansion of the ocean
Which of the following climate change impacts is LEAST likely to be observed by 2025?
Total melting of Greenland ice sheet
All of the following are sources of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, EXCEPT
Transpiration
Which of the following is the correct name for winds originating in the west?
Westerlies
Which of the following is an important contributor to both global warming and ozone depletion?
a release of chlorofluorocarbons to the atmosphere
(CO2 concentration v Year graph) The data in the graph can be useful in explaining the greenhouse effects when they are compared with
mean global temperatures
Functions of the atmosphere include all of the following EXCEPT
the atmosphere acts independently of Earth's other spheres (biosphere, lithosphere, & hydrosphere all interact w each other)
Biosphere
the part of Earth where life exists
Which of the following will occur if the trend of global temperature increase continues?
the troposphere will contain more water vapor
The spread of infectious diseases is expected to increase with climate change, mainly because
warmer temperatures allow disease-carrying insects to survive in areas that were once too cold
LA and Mexico City often suffer from episodes of dense smog. Which atmospheric phenomenon traps the smog in these cities?
A thermal inversion can trap air pollutants close to the ground
Increased atmospheric CO2 concentration over the next 50 years is expected to cause which of the following global changes?
A significant loss of biodiversity in the tropics
All of the following are examples of indoor air pollutants EXCEPT A) asbestos B) carbon monoxide C) VOCs D) radon E) mercury
Mercury
Coal combustion releases all of the following environmental pollutants EXCEPT A) sulfur dioxide B) radioactive materials C) particulates D) methane
Methane
Which of the following is NOT a primary pollutant?
O3
Which is a correct statement?
Radon is a radioactive gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in developed countries
Which of the following strategies will help a city to reduce air pollution during thermal inversion?
Reducing the release of anthropogenic VOCs
What is most likely source of exposure to lead poisoning?
Renovating an old house by sanding down the layers of paint and knocking down walls (lead found in old pipes, gas, and paint)
Which is NOT a chemical equation for the formation of a primary pollutant?
SO3 + H2O -> H2SO4 (this is a secondary pollutant)
Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between solar radiation and latitude pictured in the diagram above?
Section B of the diagram (equator) depicts more intense solar radiation at the equator due to a smaller surface area of light striking the surface
Which of the following best describes how ocean acidification affects coral formation?
The increase in hydrogen ions dissolved in the ocean water sequesters available carbonate ions, preventing the use of calcium carbonate for coral skeleton formation.
Based on the data above, which of the following best supports the hypothesis that the Arctic (latitudes greater than 66°N) experienced accelerated warming compared to the rest of the planet from 2011 to 2017 ?
The largest areas with surface-temperature changes greater than a 4°C increase are found in the Arctic.
Which conclusion can be drawn from the maps above? (Albert Global Temperatures map of the 2 spheres)
Tropospheric warming is affecting the northern hemisphere more than the southern
Surface oceanic circulation results most directly in the
distribution of heat from tropical to temperate and polar regions
Which of the following best describes insolation?
incoming solar radiation
Most data indicate that, during the past 100 years, mean global annual temperature has
increased by 0.5°C
The increase in mean global temperature is likely to result in all of the following EXCEPT
increased ground-level ultraviolet radiation
What is a natural source of air pollution?
volcanic eruption
Which of the following best explains why thermal inversions prevent pollution from being dispersed?
Cold air is dense, which causes it to sink and prevent the movement of pollution
Which of the following is an anthropogenic source of sulfur dioxide?
Combustion of fossil fuels
What causes hurricanes in the Southern Hemisphere to spin in the opposite direction as hurricanes in the northern Hemisphere?
Coriolis effect
Large quantities of methane hydrates are located in this region and if released will contribute significantly to global climate change.
D. Alaska
This region of the world is currently experiencing the largest average annual temperature increase because of anthropogenic climate change.
D. Alaska
Which of the following not only results from greenhouse warming but also contributes to additional warming of Earth (i.e., is a positive feedback process)?
Decreased size of snowpack
Global warming is reducing the area of the Earth's surface covered with snow and glaciers. Which statement best describes the impact of this reduction?
Earth's albedo will decrease and the rate of climate change will increase
Which BEST describes how greenhouse gases cause ocean warming?
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere cause a positive feedback loop, increasing the temperature enough to melt the polar ice caps, which increases the water temperature in turn.
Which source is the largest contributor to carbon monoxide emissions in the US?
Highway vehicles
Climate change can impact ecosystems in which of the following ways? I. Disrupting timing of seasonal life-cycle traits II. Shifting habitat ranges III. Disruptions in food web IV. Could support spread of disease, pathogens, parasites
I, II, III, IV
Possible effects of a warmer atmosphere include which of the following? I. Expanded ranges of tropical diseases II. More intense hurricanes and typhoons III. Increased crop damage from pests and diseases
I, II, and III
Which is a benefit of using fluidized bed combustion to burn coal at an electric power plant?
If limestone is used in the fluidized bed, the SOx emissions will be reduced
What is the MOST likely reason why the coal power plants in the graph were retired in 2015?
Inability of the plants to meet pollution regulations and the cost of natural gas
Which of the following scenarios is NOT likely to result from increased temperatures in the Arctic?
Increased melting of sea ice decreases the sea level and leads to more arable land area that can be farmed. (Arctic is floating ice **not land based)
Which of the following is an example of a negative-feedback loop that concerns global warming?
Increased precipitation leads to a larger snowpack in the polar regions (negative feedback loops are stabilizers; larger snowpack means reducing greenhouse effects)
What is true of the albedo effect?
It is a process by which some of the solar energy is reflected from the Earth back into space
What is true of the Kyoto Protocol?
It set a goal for all participants to reduce their greenhouse gas emission below their 1990 level
Which of the following describes how the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere affects coastal ecosystems?
More greenhouse gases in the atmosphere create a positive feedback loop, warming the oceans. The warmer the ocean gets, the more volume the water will take up, potentially flooding coastal freshwater with saltwater and displacing coastal communities.
Which of the following BEST explains why LA experiences frequent thermal inversions?
Nearby mountains trap cool prevailing winds from the ocean
Which is the predominant gas in troposphere?
Nitrogen
Which of the following are 3 gases MOST abundant in troposphere?
Nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor
All of the following gases have been implicated in contributing to the increase in global temperature via the greenhouse effect EXCEPT
O2
Which causes the temperature increase through the stratosphere?
O3 (stratospheric ozone) absorbs UV rays from sun
Global scientists should target which area to best obtain data on impacts of climate change?
Ocean
Which one of the following molecules is a tropospheric pollutant, but is beneficial in stratosphere?
Ozone
Which statement about natural sources of air pollution is NOT correct?
Plants release carbon dioxide during photosynthesis
Based on the diagram, which of the following best illustrates how the BIOSPHERE can affect global climate change?
Producers use solar energy for photosynthesis, decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increasing the amount of carbon sequestered in plant tissue.
Which of the following layers of the atmosphere has INCREASING temperature as altitude INCREASES
Stratosphere (bc UV rays)
Which describes the positive feedback mechanism associated with the Arctic Tundra?
The decrease in albedo in the Arctic Tundra, due to warming temperatures, releases sequestered methane into the atmosphere.
Which of the following geological landscapes or weather events contribute to the ground level pollution that is trapped by thermal inversions?
The low ground present in valleys or found near the base of a mountain
Based on the diagram, which of the following best predicts how an increase in greenhouse gases would affect the ocean?
The oceans would be warmed because of increased solar radiation being absorbed by the water, causing expansion and sea level rise.
Airplanes are more likely to fly in the stratosphere rather than the troposphere due to which of the following?
The stratosphere is less dense than the troposphere
Which of the following statements explains the atmospheric convection current between 0º and 30º
The warm, moist air will rise, and the cold, dense air will sink
Which of the following layers of atmosphere is considered Earth's "blanket"
Thermosphere (thickest and hottest layer of atmosphere)
The Santa Ana winds can exacerbate forest fires in southern California. All of the following are true of these winds EXCEPT
They gain speed as they move from lower to higher elevation
In which layer of the atmosphere does weather occur?
Troposphere
Correct order of layers of Earth's atmosphere (closest to farthest)
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere
Which of the following could NOT be considered a greenhouse gas?
Tropospheric nitrogen (atmospheric nitrogen makes up 79% of atmosphere—not a greenhouse gas)
Which of the following contributes to Earth's greenhouse gas effect the most?
Water vapor
Water vapor is a greenhouse gas and is produced by burning fossil fuels. However, anthropogenic water vapor does not contribute significantly to global warming because water vapor
has a short residence time in atmosphere (rains out)
How many units of energy return to space from Earth and its atmosphere?
100
How many units of energy are absorbed by Earth's surface?
120
How many units of energy do greenhouse gases contribute to the greenhouse effect?
60
Each of Earth's seasons last approximately 3 months. Which of the following would cause the length of Earth's seasons to change?
A change in the length of time required for Earth to revolve around the Sun.
As the climate warms, which of the following projected changes will be observed in the tundra biome?
A decrease in the overall size and location of tundra biomes
Largest contributor to ozone depletion
CFCs
Byproduct of animal husbandry
CH4 (methane)
What is the only US Clean Air Act pollutant that primarily affects people as an indoor air pollutant
CO (carbon monoxide)
which fuel releases significant amounts of mercury and radioactive materials when used at an electricity-generating power plant under normal operating conditions?
Coal
Which of the following best describes how an anthropogenic activity can increase ocean acidification?
Emissions from power plants that burn fossil fuels increase atmospheric carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by the ocean. (Creates carbonic acid H2CO3 which decreases pH of ocean)
Less solar radiation reaches Earth's surface at higher latitudes, in part because it must pass through more of the atmosphere. In what way does the atmosphere interfere with insolation?
Energy is reflected, absorbed, and scattered by atmospheric gases
Which area of the globe contains the most water vapor?
Equator (0º latitude)
Which of the following best describes the greenhouse effect on Earth?
Greenhouse gases trap heat near Earth's surface, keeping the average surface temperature constant.
Based on the data above, which of the following hypotheses about the future conditions in the Arctic is most plausible if the trend seen from 2011 to 2017 continues?
The albedo will decrease.
Earth experiences seasons because
The angle of earth relative to the sun
Under the Clean Air Act, which is NOT a criteria air pollutant?
carbon dioxide
Global warming is most likely to directly cause which of the following?
coastal flooding and submersion of low-lying areas
Which of the following environmental problems is most directly linked to ocean warming?
coral bleaching
Coral bleaching can be hazardous to some fish species because
coral reefs provide unique habitats for fish
Which of the following is NOT associated with tropospheric ozone exposure?
skin lesions
Which of the following contains the reactions involved in the formation of photochemical smog from beginning to end?
1) primary pollutant NO2 emitted 2) In the presence of sunlight, NO2 reacts to form ozone and NO 3) VOCs are oxidized to produce PAN
The burning of fossil fuels is the main contributor to which of the following environmental problems?
Acid rain & climate change
Many employees in a small town are coming from the factory to local clinics and hospitals with symptoms such as shortness of breath, dizziness, watery eyes, and severe coughing. This has been reported consistently over the past several months. Which of the following environmental problems would be the MOST likely cause of these health issues?
An indoor air pollutant such as carbon monoxide or VOCs
Which would have the highest albedo?
Arctic tundra
In volcanoes, which source of particulate matter would be present?
Ash
Which of the following is NOT on the EPA's list of top indoor air pollutants?
Hydrogen sulfide (—its a secondary air pollutant associated w acid deposition)
Which of the following does NOT release some type of indoor air pollutant? A) upholstered furniture B) incandescent light bulbs C) indoor heaters D) new carpet
Incandescent light bulbs
Which of the following is TRUE about radon?
It's a colorless, odorless gas that is emitted naturally from bedrock. It can attach to dust particles and cause certain cancers
What are the affects of lead poisoning?
It's a neurotoxin that can cause aggressiveness, vision, hearing problems & learning disabilities
Why are particles larger than 10 micrometers not regulated by EPA?
Larger particles are filtered out by the nose and throat
damage to the respiratory system can be attributed to all of the following EXCEPT A) ozone B) particulate matter C) nitrous oxides D) lead
Lead (least easy to inhale & impacts the brain & nervous system)
What is not an emission that is generated by the combustion of coal for electricity?
Ozone
Which of the following is NOT considered a VOC A) ethyl alcohol B) gasoline C) ozone D) CFCs
Ozone
Which of the following is NOT a source of indoor air pollution containing VOCs?
Pet dander
Which of the following is NOT a potential reactant in the formation of tropospheric ozone?
Sulfur Dioxide (formation of ozone is carbon source [CO, CH4, VOC] + NOx + sun)
Particulate matter size hazards
Suspended particles larger than 10um are regularly filtered out, but particulates smaller than 2.5 um pose greater concern as they become embedded in our respiratory tract
Which BEST depicts the relationship between the number of respiratory infection and concentration of photochemical smog?
The number of respiratory infections increases as the smog concentration increases
All of the following are true of VOCs EXCEPT
There are no known natural sources of VOCs (wrong- volcanoes and some forest fires)
Based on data, which BEST describes the effect that the number of remaining trees and the concentration of VOCs have on the chance of the formation of photochemical smog?
There is a higher chance of the formation of smog as the concentration of VOCs increases and as the number of remaining trees decreases
All of the following are viable ways to reduce the concentration of photochemical smog EXCEPT
Use of gas-powered equipment
Which of the following is an example of a secondary air pollutant?
tropospheric ozone
