week 8 review
The figure below shows the radiative forcing components that determine Earth's climate. Which of the following climate forcings is indicated by color number 5 in the figure below?
The greenhouse gas forcing
Biomass is responsible for about 4% of the total US energy output. Most (52%) of the energy from biomass is used by which of the following sectors?
The industrial sector
The percentage of energy usage in the U.S. that comes from NONRENEWABLE resources is ...
92%
Natural gas is responsible for about 24% of the total US energy output. The majority (35%) of the energy from natural gas is used by which of the following sectors?
The industrial sector
Which of the following sources is currently the second largest, supplying about 24% of the energy consumed in the United States?
Natural gas
The atmosphere is the most unstable and rapidly changing part of the climate system. Some atmospheric gases have little to no interaction with either the incoming solar radiation or the infrared radiation emitted by the Earth, while others (the so-called greenhouse gases) strongly interacts with these forms of radiation. Which of the following atmospheric gases are considered greenhouse gases? (mark all that applies)
Nitrogen gas (N2) Correct Answer Water vapor (H2O) Correct Answer Carbon dioxide (CO2) Oxygen gas (O2) Correct Answer Methane (CH4) Correct Answer Ozone (O3) Correct Answer Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Our energy needs and sources are always changing. The figure below shows how this mix of energy sources have changed in the past and is predicted to change in the near future. Which of the following energy sources is indicated by number 5 in the figure?
Nuclear energy
The Milankovitch cycles describe the collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements on the planet's climate over thousands of years. Taken in unison, variations in these three orbital cycles (eccentricity, obliquity, and precession) creates alterations in the seasonality of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Which of the following Milankovitch cycles has a periodicity of about 41,000 years?
Obliquity
The Milankovitch cycles describe the collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements on the planet's climate over thousands of years. Taken in unison, variations in these three orbital cycles (eccentricity, obliquity, and precession) creates alterations in the seasonality of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Which of the following options is correct regarding the Milankovitch cycle called OBLIQUITY?
Obliquity refers to the angle of variation (or tilt) of the Earth's axis
For most of the 1800, the major source of energy supply for societal needs was ...
wood
The figure below shows the main sources and sinks of CO2 (in billions of metric tonnes of carbon per year - PgC/y). Based on your understanding of carbon sources and sinks, which of the following amounts of carbon is released into the atmosphere every year by DEFORESTATION?
1.5 BILLION
The figure below shows the main sources and sinks of CO2 (in billions of metric tonnes of carbon per year - PgC/y). Based on your understanding of carbon sources and sinks, which of the following amounts of excess carbon is absorbed every year by the OCEANS?
About 2.3 billion metric tons of carbon per year
The figure below shows Earth's energy budget. According to this figure, what percentage of the total incoming solar radiation is reflected by Earth's surface AND atmosphere together?
About 31% is reflected by the atmosphere, clouds and aerosols
The figure below shows the main sources and sinks of CO2 (in billions of metric tonnes of carbon per year - PgC/y). Based on your understanding of carbon sources and sinks, which of the following amounts of excess carbon is absorbed every year by the ATMOSPHERE?
About 4.0 billion metric tons of carbon per year
Geologists classify coal according to its concentration of carbon. Which of the following types of coal have about 93% of carbon and forms under temperatures above 200oC?
Anthracite coal
Earth's oceans store and transport a large amount of energy and dissolve and store great quantities of carbon dioxide. Which of the following options is correct regarding the effects of global warming on the world's oceans? (mark all that applies)
As global temperatures rise, the amount of heat stored in the oceans will INCREASE As global temperatures rise, ocean temperature will INCREASE As global temperatures rise, the oceans will absorb LESS carbon dioxide
Geologists classify coal according to its concentration of carbon. Which of the following types of coal have about 85% of carbon and forms under temperatures between 100oC and 200oC?
Bituminous coal
Which of the following is true regarding the way nuclear power (fission) is used to produce electricity?
By releasing heat that is used to generate steam that rotates the blades in a turbine to produce electricity
Which of the following countries currently consumes the largest share (about 20%) of the global energy?
China
Hydropower is responsible for about 3% of the total US energy output. Nearly all (99%) of the energy from hydropower is used by which of the following sectors?
Correct Answer The production of electricity
Nuclear energy is responsible for about 8.5% of the total US energy output. All (100%) of the nuclear energy produced is used by which of the following sectors?
Correct Answer The production of electricity
Which of the following are accepted evidence from ecologists that our climate is changing? (mark all that applies)
Correct Answer Ecologists have observed that some species extinctions are linked to climate change Correct Answer Ecologists have observed signs of evolutionary adaptations in animals and plants Correct Answer Ecologists have observed marked changes in the location where a particular species is found Correct Answer Ecologists have observed marked changes in the growth rates of plants Correct Answer Ecologists have observed marked changes in the dates plants first sprout and bloom
Which of the following options is correct regarding lignite coal? (mark all that applies)
Correct Answer Lignite coal results from shallow burial of peat layers Correct Answer Lignite coal forms at temperatures below 100°C
The effects of climate change are already being felt and will continue over the coming decades. There are two major ways to reduce the long-term risks of climate change: mitigation and adaptation. Which of the following options describe the MITIGATION pathways to avoid or reduce these risks? (mark all that applies)
Correct Answer Replace conventional energy technologies with low-emissions or zero-emissions technologies Correct Answer Use captured carbon in products such as polymers and cement Correct Answer Change land use and land management practices to store carbon in plants, trees, and soils Correct Answer Increase ocean carbon storage through biological or chemical means Correct Answer Capture and store greenhouse gases produced by conventional energy technologies Correct Answer Convert terrestrial biomass into energy while capturing and storing the produced carbonv
Over the long-term, our planet's climate varies naturally. Temperature records from ice cores show that these cycles of warming and cooling are mostly the result of a combination of which of the following factors? (mark all that applies)
Correct Answer The orbital forcing Correct Answer The greenhouse gas forcing Correct Answer The sea level forcing Correct Answer The dust forcing Correct Answer The ice sheet forcing
The underground accumulations of significant quantities of potentially extractable oil and gas is called a hydrocarbon reserve. Which of the following options are correct regarding UNCONVENTIONAL hydrocarbon reserves? (mark all that applies)
Correct Answer Unconventional reserves occurs in reservoir rocks that are IMPERMEABLE Correct Answer Unconventional reserves have hydrocarbons with HIGH viscosity
Wind power is responsible for about 2% of the total US energy output. All (100%) of this wind energy is used by which of the following sectors?
Correct! The production of electricity
Which of the following options contain examples of biomass used for energy production? (mark all that applies)
Correct! Agricultural crops (such as corn and sugar cane) to produce biofuels Correct! Wood burning to produce heat and electricity Correct Answer Converting food and yard waste to biogas in landfills Correct Answer Converting animal manure and human sewage to biogas in biodigestors Correct! Burning food, yard, and wood waste to produce heat and electricity
Which of the following sources are considered RENEWABLE energy alternatives to fossil fuels? (mark all that applies)
Correct! Geothermal energy Correct! Biofuel (such as ethanol) Correct! Wind power Correct! Hydropower
Geothermal energy comes from the internal heat of Earth. Which of the following options include the original sources of this internal heat? (mark all that applies)
Correct! Heat from collisions during the asteroid bombardment in Earth's early years Correct! Heat from radioactive decay of unstable chemical elements on Earth's interior
Which of the following are accepted evidence from ocean scientists that our climate is changing? (mark all that applies)
Correct! Ocean scientists have recorded higher frequency and intensity of coral reef die-offs Correct! Ocean scientists have recorded increasing ocean temperatures over time Correct! Ocean scientists have recorded increasing ocean acidity over time
The effects of climate change are already being felt and will continue over the coming decades. There are two major ways to reduce the long-term risks of climate change: mitigation and adaptation. Adoption of MITIGATION measures may be promoted through which of the following policy instruments? (mark all that applies)
Correct! Promote public and private funding for research, development and demonstration of new technologies Correct! Regulate emissions through technology requirements, building codes, and emissions standards Correct Answer Create a market for emissions pricing and trade (cap-and-trade) Remove or reduce all regulations and restrictions on conventional energy technologies Correct! Provide subsidies such as tax incentives and rebates
The Milankovitch cycles describe the collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements on the planet's climate over thousands of years. Taken in unison, variations in these three orbital cycles (eccentricity, obliquity, and precession) creates alterations in the seasonality of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Which of the following Milankovitch cycles has a periodicity of about 100,000 years?
Eccentricity
The figure below show modeled projections of future climate change under different scenarios of global carbon emissions, and the effects on global average temperature. Which of the following statements is correct, based on the lower emissions scenario (RCP4.5)?
If future emissions are reduced to about half of current levels by 2100, global average temperatures will only increase by about 3 degrees F
The figure below show modeled projections of future climate change under different scenarios of global carbon emissions, and the effects on global average temperature. Which of the following statements is correct, based on the lowest emissions scenario (RCP2.6)?
If future emissions are reduced to levels below the 1900 by 2100, global average temperatures will only increase by about 2 degrees F
The most extensive deposits of coal in the world occur in rocks from which of the following geologic periods?
The Carboniferous Period
Which of the following climate zones is indicated by color number 5 in the image below?
The tropical climate zone
The figure below shows the formation process of which of the following energy resources from Earth?
coal
Which of the following sources is currently the third largest, supplying about 20% of the energy consumed in the United States?
coal
For an oil reserve to exist, oil and gas must be trapped underground in the reservoir rock by means of a geologic configuration called a TRAP. What is the name of the oil trap indicated in the figure below?
fault trap
Biomass is responsible for about 4% of the total US energy output. Most (52%) of the energy from biomass is used by which of the following sectors?
industrial
The Milankovitch cycles describe the collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements on the planet's climate over thousands of years. Taken in unison, variations in these three orbital cycles (eccentricity, obliquity, and precession) creates alterations in the seasonality of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Which of the following Milankovitch cycles has a periodicity of about 26,000 years?
precession
The Milankovitch cycles describe the collective effects of changes in the Earth's movements on the planet's climate over thousands of years. Taken in unison, variations in these three orbital cycles (eccentricity, obliquity, and precession) creates alterations in the seasonality of solar radiation reaching the Earth's surface. Which of these Milankovitch cycles is represented in the figure below?
precession
Solar energy is responsible for about 0.2% of the total US energy output. Most (60%) of this solar energy is used by which of the following sectors?
residential
For an oil reserve to exist, oil and gas must be trapped underground in the reservoir rock by means of a geologic configuration called a TRAP. What is the name of the oil trap indicated in the figure below?
salt dome trap
