Deck 9: Climate

Question 1

The atmospheric zone where most weather events occur is the

A)stratosphere.
B)thermosphere.
C)troposphere.
D)mesosphere.
E)stratopause.

Answer 1

troposphere.

Question 2

Data from Mauna Loa show that CO₂ levels since 1958 have

A)risen steadily.
B)risen steadily,except for declines in the northern summer.
C)risen and fallen irregularly by decades.
D)changed little.
E)declined dramatically in recent years.

Answer 2

risen steadily,except for declines in the northern summer.

Question 3

Which of these is NOT among our most important greenhouse gases?

A)sulfur dioxide
B)methane (CH₄)
C)nitrous oxide (N₂O)
D)fluorine gases (such as CFCs)
E)carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Answer 3

sulfur dioxide

Question 4

Most of the excessive carbon dioxide that is expected to cause global warming is generated by

A)green plants.
B)burning of fossil fuels.
C)production of cement and clearing of forests.
D)All of these are correct.
E)burning of fossil fuels and production of cement and clearing of forests only.

Question 5

The correct sequence of atmospheric zones upward from the earth's surface is

A)stratosphere,troposphere,mesosphere,thermosphere.
B)troposphere,stratosphere,mesosphere,thermosphere.
C)mesosphere,stratosphere,troposphere,thermosphere.
D)thermosphere,stratosphere,troposphere,mesosphere.
E)troposphere,mesosphere,stratosphere,thermosphere.

Question 6

When cool,dry air sinks from the upper atmosphere toward the Earth's surface,it is

A)compressed and cooled further.
B)allowed to expand and become warmer.
C)compressed and becomes warmer.
D)forced to release any remaining moisture.
E)going to hold more water because there is more water vapor closer to the Earth's surface.

Question 7

________ stated that signatory nations must reduce emissions of greenhouse gases below 1990 levels by 2012.

A)Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
B)ENSO
C)U)S.Military Advisory Board
D)Kyoto Protocol
E)United Nations

Question 8

Which of these is true about ways that we might slow climate change,according to climate policy analysts?

A)There is no way to slow climate change.
B)There is no way to slow climate change without dramatically reducing our quality of life.
C)Slowing change is impossible without new technologies.
D)We can use a variety of climate "wedges," but these will cause considerable social disruption.
E)Developing a variety of existing strategies,such as conservation,reforestation,and alternative energy,could dramatically slow climate change.

Question 9

As far as we are currently aware,who were the first people to notice the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle?

A)scientists studying atmospheric changes
B)meteorologists
C)indigenous people in South America
D)Peruvian fishermen
E)colonial governors in South America from Spain

Question 10

Paying to plant trees because you use carbon in your daily life would be an example of

A)carbon reduction.
B)cap and trade.
C)carbon offsets.
D)carbon production [ambiguous].
E)going carbon neutral.

Question 11

Given what we know about the likelihood of climate change,the best thing to do is

A)immediately cease all industrial activity.
B)wait and see how much temperatures change before we change our habits.
C)severely cut back on production of greenhouse gases.
D)not worry about greenhouse gas production.
E)focus on the development of advanced technologies such as ocean fertilization to will decrease the effects of climate change.

Question 12

All of the following are aspects of climate change except

A)increase in Earth's average temperature.
B)increase in surface ocean water temperature.
C)rapid melting of the polar ice sheets and Greenland glaciers.
D)declining sea level.
E)accelerated rates of energy use.

Question 13

The "Keeling curve" showing CO₂ measurements at Mauna Loa,Hawaii,shows that concentrations of CO₂ have reached approximately what level,in parts per million (PPM)?

A)1,000 ppm
B)400 ppm
C)350 ppm
D)200 ppm
E)100 ppm

Question 14

Which of these is unlikely to result from climate change?

A)the change in distribution patterns of birds
B)an increased land area in some countries due to the melting of glaciers
C)increased drought in agricultural regions resulting in famine
D)warmer average temperatures
E)movement of tectonic plates

Question 15

Which of these best describes the comparison of observed changes in CO₂ production and IPCC model scenarios of expected CO₂ production?

A)Model scenarios predicted CO₂ production about right.
B)Model scenarios overestimated CO₂ production.
C)Observed CO₂ production has exceeded the worst model scenarios.
D)Observed CO₂ production rose but has recently declined below IPCC model scenarios.
E)CO₂ production matches the middle range of model scenarios.

Question 16

The two main gases making up the lower atmosphere are

A)helium and hydrogen.
B)carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide.
C)oxygen and methane.
D)nitrogen and oxygen.
E)oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Question 17

________ means that net-greenhouse gas emissions are zero.

A)Carbon tax
B)Carbon offset
C)Carbon neutral
D)Adaption
E)Carbon level

Question 18

What are the ecological implications of global warming?

A)Plants and animals that are residing in fragmented habitats may not be able to move to a suitable habitat.
B)In general,plants and animals will probably benefit from warmer temperatures.
C)Since farmland may be lost,the habitats for plants and animals will increase in area.
D)Since biodiversity is usually higher in warmer,milder climates,it will probably be increased.
E)Tropical ecosystems will become dramatically warmer than they are now.

Question 19

Methane is

A)the main anthropogenic greenhouse gas produced worldwide.
B)produced anywhere organic matter decays without oxygen.
C)accumulating three times as fast as CO₂ in the atmosphere.
D)declining in developing countries since many of its uses have been banned.
E)produced from the burning of organic material and soil microbial activity.

Question 20

When El Niño occurs every three to seven years,a mass of warm Pacific water that is usually pushed westward by trade winds

A)surges back eastward toward South America.
B)becomes much warmer than usual,strengthening trade winds.
C)cools dramatically.
D)sinks and therefore cools substantially.
E)surges northward toward Japan.

Question 21

The change in ocean temperatures brought on by climate change could lead to an extreme cold period in Europe due to a change in the

A)thermohaline circulation.
B)reductions in El niño/La niña oscillation.
C)albedo increases.
D)Milankovitch cycles.

Question 22

Which of the following would have the highest albedo?

A)fresh snow
B)open water
C)forest
D)soil

Question 23

Which of the following describes the pattern of change in global average temperature?

A)Since the late 1970,the average global temperature has not been below the 20th century average.
B)It was warmer than the 20th century average up through 1950,but has stabilized since.
C)The yearly temperatures have been different,but even so,haven't been different from the 20th century average.
D)As the 20th century average increases,the temperature increases.
E)Since the late 1970s the global temperature has been below and above the 20th century average.

Question 24

There has been an increase in frequency and intensity of storms and hurricanes.

Question 25

According to ice core data,

A)carbon dioxide and temperature have the same pattern of variation.
B)carbon dioxide and oxygen have the same pattern of variation.
C)carbon dioxide and water vapor have the same pattern of variation.
D)temperature and oxygen have the same pattern of variation.
E)temperature and water vapor have the same pattern of variation.

Question 26

According to ice core data

A)carbon dioxide concentrations have cycled over the last 800,000 years,but current concentration is higher than anytime over the last 800,000 years.
B)carbon dioxide concentrations today are part of the normal cycling that has occurred over the last 800,000 years.
C)carbon dioxide concentrations today are less than the highest concentration during the last 800,000 years.
D)carbon dioxide concentrations over the last 800,000 years averaged 278 ppm,which is about the same as carbon dioxide concentrations today.
E)carbon dioxide concentrations today are higher than the average over the last 800,000 years,but not higher than the highest concentration measured about 350,000 years ago.

Question 27

Nineteen of the 20 warmest of the last 150 years have occurred since 1980.

Question 28

An increase in albedo would mean there would be

A)an increase in reflectivity.
B)an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
C)an increase in the amount of ultraviolet light absorbed by the atmosphere.
D)an increase in heat absorption.