ENVS 224 Exam 1
Based on this temperature graphic, although Chicago can be INCREDIBLY COLD, the rest of the northern hemisphere can be: A. 1.0 deg F above normal B. 2.0 deg F above normal C. 1.0 Deg C above normal which is 1.8 deg F D. 0.5 deg C above normal
C. 1.0 Deg C above normal which is 1.8 deg F
What was the approximate age of stromatolites? A. 3.5 million years B. 350 million years C. 3.5 billion years D. 35 billion years
C. 3.5 billion years
Which statement best describes this graph. A. Global temperature increases are directly related to Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) B. Global temperatures constantly rise unrelated to TSI C. Global temperatures will rise and fall annually but have generally increased regardless of TSI D. Global temperatures will always follow the TSI since the Industrial Revolution
C. Global temperatures will rise and fall annually but have generally increased regardless of TSI
Earth will likely not find itself in a runaway greenhouse gas effect like Venus because: A. Venus is hot due to it being closer to the sun. B. Earth does not contain enough CO2. C. Life and other biological activity remove CO2 from the atmosphere. D. Earth has water vapor that forms cooling cloud cover.
C. Life and other biological activity remove CO2 from the atmosphere.
Based on the map provided, how would you describe the dryness in the western parts of the Chicagoland area? A. None B. Abnormally Dry C. Moderate Drought D. Severe Drought
C. Moderate Drought
This temperature graph is a concern to climate scientists since: A. The temperature change will eventually decrease again in the future B. The temperature increase has been primarily over the land C. The global temperature change has been rapid since the late 1970s D. The temperature change was neutral in the past thus cancelling out any current increase
C. The global temperature change has been rapid since the late 1970s
The Trump infrastructure blueprint is almost certain to call for expensive new roads, bridges, airports and other projects in areas that are increasingly vulnerable to rising waters and other threats from a warming planet. Engineers and researchers are concerned about which aspect of this plan? A. Their concern is that a plan led by a Republican controlled senate has both discounted climate science and weakened climate change regulations could mean that costly projects may be vulnerable to damage or, in a worst-case scenario, quickly rendered obsolete by the changing environment. B. Union led construction companies are largely democratic and might not be considered in a fair bidding war when presented with various contractual proposals. C. Their concern is that a plan led by a White House that has both discounted climate science and weakened climate change regulations could mean that costly projects may be vulnerable to damage or, in a worst-case scenario, quickly rendered obsolete by the changing environment. D. Construction companies in hurricane prone areas might be left out since they are still cleaning up from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
C. Their concern is that a plan led by a White House that has both discounted climate science and weakened climate change regulations could mean that costly projects may be vulnerable to damage or, in a worst-case scenario, quickly rendered obsolete by the changing environment.
Chicago is a large urban area that can change weather conditions, especially during the summer. This is called: A. Large heat island B. City Heat Island C. Urban Heat Island D. Land Heat Island
C. Urban Heat Island
If incoming vs. outgoing radiation at the top of the atmosphere is balanced, then climate change is likely due to: A. a decrease in snowcover B. an increase in sunny days C. internal variability D. stochastic variability
C. internal variability
The best indicator of the impact of climate change on sea ice is a change in: A. sea ice extent B. sea ice thickness C. sea ice volume D. sea ice albedo
C. sea ice volume
What is the importance of this fossil in Western Kansas? A. It helped coin the phrase " a fish out of water" B. it showed that if you dig deep enough you can find anything C. this large fish was once part of a great inland sea due to a "naturally occurring" warmer earth D. this large fish was able to survive all types of climatic change
C. this large fish was once part of a great inland sea due to a "naturally occurring" warmer earth
In the movie Making of North America PT2, why did the scientists go to the Bahamas? A. to look for coral impacted by the warmer oceans B. to see how high levels of acidity are killing coral reefs C. to look for stromatolites D. to take a day of filing Making of North America Part 3
C. to look for stromatolites
Using the information provided below, how much precipitation has fallen in Grand Junction, Colorado (western COLORADO) since June 1st? A. 1.88" B. 1.02" C. 2.89" D. 0.56"
D. 0.56"
The top 10 warmest years have occurred in the last: A. 20 B. 25 C. 50 D. 15
D. 15
Radiative Forcing is best defined as: A. Hot temperatures due to strong sunshine at the lowest portion of the troposphere B. Infra-red radiation at the surface of the earth C. Melting of ice due to warmer oceans D. Difference between incoming and outgoing radiation at the top of the atmosphere
D. Difference between incoming and outgoing radiation at the top of the atmosphere
What happened in California in 1849? A. The SFO 49ers became a football team B. Massive earthquake C. Tsunami destroyed SFO BAY. D. Gold was discovered
D. Gold was discovered
(MOVIE) What did much of North America look like 15,000 years ago? A. A desert B. A small lake C. Great snowdrift D. Great Inland Sea
D. Great Inland Sea
2019 was the warmest, but the decade was the second warmest on record. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/15/climate/hottest-year-2019.html True or False
False
According to the Illinois State Climate Assessment report, both springs and summers have gotten much warmer. True or False
False
Earth's climate system only includes atmosphere, ice, and oceans. True or False
False
Higher than normal Lake Michigan levels can always be attributed to climate change. https://www.weather.gov/lot/LakeMichiganHighWater True or False
False
Melting Arctic and Antarctic sea ice has contributed to significant sea level rise. (hint: consider the difference between sea ice and land based ice) True or False
False
The Climate System diagram represents a "closed system" since this occurs only on earth. True or False
False
Category 5 hurricanes have shown a dramatic increase in frequency in the last 20 years in the Atlantic. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Category_5_Atlantic_hurricanes True or False
True
Chicago receives nearly 40" snowfall annually, mainly due to the influence of Lake Effect Snowfall. True or False
True
Climate change can cause both drought and floods. True or False
True
Climate positive feedback is any mechanism that increases the climate change already underway. True or False
True
El Ninos and volcanoes can alter the climate in a very short period of time. True or False
True
Greenhouse gases heat the atmosphere by absorbing outgoing solar radiation. True or False
True
Ice sheets grow in the Northern Hemisphere when eccentricity (size of earth's orbit and increasing distance from sun) changes from small to large True or False
True
Ice sheets grow in the Northern Hemisphere when eccentricity (size of earth's orbit and increasing distance from sun) changes from small to large. True or False
True
Ice sheets grow in the Northern Hemisphere when eccentricity is large, Earth is at aphelion in summer, and obliquity is small. True or False
True
If sunspots caused climate change, we would observe a change in climate every 11 years. True or False
True
In the Frontline documentary HEAT, cement is the 3rd largest producer of greenhouse gases that add to the overall C02 level of the atmosphere. True or False
True
In the Frontline documentary HEAT, it was stated that 80% of the earth's glaciers could disappear by 2035. True or False
True
January 2020 will end up +6.3 degrees F in Chicago. Most of the Great Lakes experienced warmer than normal temperatures. From the two graphs shown, is it safe to say that the warm overnight lows were more responsible for the warmth, compared to the afternoon highs? True or False.
True
Melting permafrost can act as a positive climate feedback True or False
True
Observations from this map are at airports which are quality controlled 24 hours a day/365 days a year and represent excellent climate diagnostics. True or False
True
Of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities, a majority is absorbed by oceans and the terrestrial biosphere. True or False
True
Recent damage along the lakefront can be attributed to near record high lake levels and lack of sea ice exposing shoreline beaches to high winds and waves. https://www.weather.gov/lot/LakeMichiganHighWater True or False
True
Solar energy is responsible for the majority of energy that is within the climate system. True or False
True
The current best estimate of climate sensitivity is about 1 to 1.5°C or nearly 1.8 to 2.3 deg F. True or False
True
The global increase in temperature closely matches the global increase in Carbon Dioxide. True or False
True
The greatest uncertainty in projecting global temperatures for the year 2100 is due to economic and technological unknowns. True or False
True
The recent Yale University Climate Opinion Poll shows that nearly 70% of the nation believes that Global Warming exists. True orFalse
True
The super continent Pangea created a very dry climate that allowed the center of the landmass to become quite warm. True or False
True
This graph shows a slight increase in temperature for Illinois winter since 1895. True or False
True
What percentage of the atmosphere by volume do greenhouse gases make up? A. 1% B. 5% C. 20% D. 25%
A. 1%
Which of the following is NOT considered part of the Earth's climate system? A. Asthenosphere B. Lithosphere C. Cryosphere D. Biosphere
A. Asthenosphere
Which statement is correct regarding the chemical make-up of the atmosphere? A. Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Water Vapor 1-3% B. Nitrogen 71%, Oxygen 28%, Water Vapor 1-3% C. Oxygen 78%, Nitrogen 21%, Water Vapor 1-3% D. Oxygen 71%, Nitrogen 28%, Water Vapor 1-3%
A. Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Water Vapor 1-3%
Which of the following organizations does NOT report global temperature anomaly data? A. The Weather Channel B. Goddard Institute for Space Sciences (GISS) C. Climate Research Unit (CRU) D. ) Remote Sensing Systems (RSS)
A. The Weather Channel
Weather and climate differ in that: A. Weather is day to day while climate is long term averages in weather B. Weather is easier to predict than climate C. Climate is always getting warmer but weather can be warmer or colder. D. Weather includes precipitation while climate does not.
A. Weather is day to day while climate is long term averages in weather
The lowest portion of the atmosphere is known as: A. troposphere B. stratosphere C. mesosphere D. thermosphere
A. troposphere
As the global climate becomes increasingly warmer, ice caps and glaciers have been melting at accelerated pace. This lowers the global albedo and has a __________ effect. This mechanism therefore works as a ________ feedback to climate change. A. warming; positive B. warming; negative C. cooling; positive D. cooling; negative
A. warming; positive
Scientists refer to man-made climate change as: A. Arthroscopic B. Anthropogenic C. Ancestral D. Annular
B. Anthropogenic
Which of the following statements about Antarctica is true? A. It is about the size of Texas. B. It contains about 90% of the world's freshwater. C. Sea ice growth can add 50% to Antarctica's area. D. All of the above are true.
B. It contains about 90% of the world's freshwater.
What was so important about these organisms to the beginning of life? A. They helped create carbon B. They helped create oxygen C. They broke down dangerous levels of acid D. They sold well in a jewelry aisle at the duty free store
B. They helped create oxygen
What are the four main reasons for natural climate change? A. Plate tectonics, warming oceans, more sunshine, less clouds B. plate tectonics, orbital cycles, ocean-atmosphere circulation, greenhouse gas increases C. sun cycles, orbital cycles, ocean-atmosphere circulation, greenhouse gas increases D. plate tectonics, orbital cycles, ocean-atmosphere circulation, less ice
B. plate tectonics, orbital cycles, ocean-atmosphere circulation, greenhouse gas increases
How warm did it get in Antarctica during the first week of February 2020? (Approximate temperature) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/08/climate/antarctica-record-temperature.html A.65C! B.65F! C.63F! D.63C!
B.65F!
Who is Craig McLean? https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/01/climate/noaa-trump-hurricane-dorian.html A. Someone in the White House who helped write a memo discrediting the NWS (National Weather Service) Forecast of Hurricane Dorian B. The person who helped President Trump extend the forecast track of Hurricane Dorian westward with a sharpie. C. Department of Commerce Secy who wanted to fire the NWS employees who defended their forecast D. NOAA's acting chief scientist who later filed a complaint with the agency alleging the unsigned statement violated its scientific-integrity policy,
D. NOAA's acting chief scientist who later filed a complaint with the agency alleging the unsigned statement violated its scientific-integrity policy,
President Trump recently unveiled a plan that would fulfill one of his signature campaign promises: a $1.5 trillion, once-in-a-generation proposal to rebuild, restore and modernize the nation's aging infrastructure. What is a major concern to climate scientists? https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/10/climate/trump-infrastructure-climate-change.html A. The impact of not considering climate change when planning infrastructure means you end up building the wrong thing, in the wrong place, but can still alter the standards. B. They are concerned that the height of the bridges are too low in the southern US and not high enough in the mountainous areas. C. The cost of not considering climate change when planning infrastructure means you end up hiring the wrong workers to do the job of government contracters. D. The impact of not considering climate change when planning infrastructure means you end up building the wrong thing, in the wrong place, to the wrong standards.
D. The impact of not considering climate change when planning infrastructure means you end up building the wrong thing, in the wrong place, to the wrong standards.
Changes in the earth's orbit can create changes in climate on the order of: A. Tens of Years B. Millions of Years C. Hundreds of Years D. Thousands of Years
D. Thousands of Years
The region in the Northern Hemisphere showing the greatest evidence of climate change is: A. tropics B. mid-latitude land C. mid-latitude ocean D. arctic
D. artic
Greenhouse gases get their name because they: A. reflect incoming sunlight B. absorb incoming sunlight C. trap warm air on earth D. decrease outgoing radiation from the top of the atmosphere
D. decrease outgoing radiation from the top of the atmosphere
Based on the drought monitor chart, what is the level of dryness in southwestern Colorado? A. abnormally dry B. moderate drought C. severe drought D. extreme drought
D. extreme drought
Which gas is released when permafrost melts? A. nitrous oxide B. carbon dioxide C. ethylane D. methane
D. methane
What national monument was recently opened by the Trump Administration to drilling for oil and natural gas? https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/06/climate/trump-grand-staircase-monument.html?action=click&module=MoreIn&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer&action=click&module=MoreInSection&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer&contentCollection=Climate%20Fwd: A.Arches National Monument B.Grand Canyon NP C.Gateway to Arches National Monument D.Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
D.Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
How much trash does NYC actually recycle? https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/29/nyregion/nyc-recycling.html A.New York City recycles only about a fourth of its garbage — 18 percent of trash from homes and about 25 percent from businesses B.New York City recycles only about a fifth of its garbage — 18 percent of trash from homes and about 15 percent from businesses C.New York City recycles only about a third of its garbage — 15 percent of trash from homes and about 25 percent from businesses D.New York City recycles only about a fifth of its garbage — 18 percent of trash from homes and about 25 percent from businesses
D.New York City recycles only about a fifth of its garbage — 18 percent of trash from homes and about 25 percent from businesses
Can a tsunami impact the PAC NW coast? True or False
True
A greater number of sunspots increases total solar irradiance. True or False
True
A positive feedback can actually speed up global warming True or False
True
According to the Illinois Climate Assessment Report, both summers and springs have received above average rainfall over the past two decades. True or False
True
Aerosols can both absorb and reflect energy. True or False
True
Although a powerful greenhouse gas, water vapor is not causing global warming because it does not remain in the air for very long. True or False
True
An example of a positive feedback is the melting of arctic sea ice due to warmer air temperatures as well as warmer ocean waters. True or False
True
As one chief scientist states......."natural forcings are not capable of explaining the trends we've seen since the 19th century." https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/15/climate/hottest-year-2019.html True or False
True
Both positive and negative feedbacks can create change. True or False
True
