Deck 21: Global Warming: Real Time Change in the Earth System

Question 1

What is paleoclimatology?

A) the recording and interpreting of current climate conditions
B) the recording and interpreting of past climate conditions
C) the recording and interpreting of current weather conditions for a specific location
D) the recording and interpreting of past weather conditions for a specific location

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Snow and water affect temperature by:

A) increasing global temperatures.
B) decreasing global temperatures.
C) having opposite cooling and warming effects.
D) having no effect on temperature.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The Sun is the source of heat energy that determines:

A) air temperature.
B) drives winds.
C) controls precipitation patterns.
D) all of the above.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

How is temperature measured for ocean air?

A) mid-ocean temperature stations
B) ships measuring air temperature at sea
C) ships measuring surface-water temperature
D) temperature stations on islands

Question 5

Areas near the equator are warmer than areas near the poles because:

A) they receive more sunlight per day.
B) they receive less sunlight per day.
C) they receive more direct and concentrated sunlight.
D) both A and C.

Question 6

Greenhouse gases include:

A) carbon dioxide.
B) water vapor.
C) methane.
D) all of the above.

Question 7

Since data collection began in 1978, the overall energy emitted from the sun has:

A) increased dramatically.
B) increased slightly.
C) decreased dramatically.
D) decreased slightly.

Question 8

What evidence is indicative that glaciers once existed in an area?

A) glacial till deposits
B) horizontally aligned sediment deposits
C) striations scratched in outcrops
D) both A and C

Question 9

Tree ring data best mirrors actual temperature in a region that is:

A) warm.
B) wet.
C) cool.
D) dry.

Question 10

Current glacier increase/decrease patterns are consistent with a rise in global temperature. True or False?

Question 11

The wavelength of incoming radiation compared to outgoing radiation is:

A) incoming has a longer wavelength than outgoing.
B) incoming has a shorter wavelength than outgoing.
C) the wavelength is equal between the two.
D) outgoing has shorter wavelength than incoming.

Question 12

What errors can lead to an incorrect average temperature measurement for a particular location?

A) incorrect reading of thermometers
B) variation in the time of day the measurements are taken
C) changes in the design of the instrument enclosures that contain the thermometer
D) all of the above

Question 13

An example of a proxy record used by paleoclimatologists is:

A) tree ring growth.
B) plant leaf shapes.
C) oxygen-isotope ratios in calcite secreting plankton.
D) all of the above.

Question 14

On a graph of average temperature, a trend line with a steep slope that is increasing indicates:

A) slowly decreasing temperatures.
B) quickly decreasing temperatures.
C) slowly increasing temperatures.
D) quickly increasing temperatures.

Question 15

Incoming radiation is mostly in the form of:

A) infrared radiation.
B) visible light and ultraviolet radiation.
C) gamma rays.
D) cosmic rays.

Question 16

Sea level rises with increasing global temperature because:

A) glaciers melt, adding water to the oceans
B) the ocean water warms, therefore condensing
C) the ocean water warms, therefore expanding
D) both A and B
E) both A and C

Question 17

What is the energy budget?

A) the amount of incoming energy
B) the amount of outgoing energy
C) the amount of energy absorbed by the atmosphere
D) the balancing of incoming and outgoing energy

Question 18

Nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere absorb significant amount of the sun's radiation, therefore contributing to the greenhouse effect. True or false?

Question 19

The greenhouse effect relates to radiation that is:

A) being emitted from the sun.
B) being emitted from the surface of the earth.
C) being reflected from the surface of the earth.
D) both A and C.

Question 20

The longest records of Quaternary climate change come from studies of glacial ice in:

A) Greenland and Antarctica.
B) Northern Canada.
C) Siberia.
D) Alaska.

Question 21

The world is generally cooler during El Niños and warmer during La Niñas. True or false?

Question 22

Methane is released by:

A) digestive processes of cows and sheep.
B) decaying garbage in landfills.
C) nuclear power plants.
D) both A and B.

Question 23

In ocean circulation patterns, water leaving the equator and moving north is saltier due to:

A) evaporation.
B) precipitation increase.
C) high density.
D) both B and C.

Question 24

Increased ice-melting leads to more sea water, which warms the earth, creating a snowball effect. True or false?

Question 25

Decreasing the sulfur emissions from coal has:

A) contributed to the warming temperatures.
B) caused some cooling to occur, but not enough to combat greenhouse gases.
C) decreased the amount of acid rain.
D) both A and C.

Question 26

Computer models for the time between 1900 and 1970 can explain warming:

A) mostly natural causes
B) mostly man-made causes
C) there was no warming in that time frame
D) both man-made and natural causes were equally important

Question 27

Increased cultivation of forest land for agriculture:

A) increases albedo.
B) decreases albedo.
C) has no effect on albedo.
D) causes global decrease in temperature.

Question 28

La Niña causes:

A) excess rain.
B) decreased evaporation.
C) increased strength of the equatorial current.
D) both B and C.

Question 29

Increases in global temperature lead to increased carbon dioxide and methane in ocean water. True or false?

Question 30

Ocean water circulation is driven by:

A) wind.
B) salinity.
C) temperature.
D) both B and C.

Question 31

The largest factor that increases heat in the energy budget is:

A) land use for agriculture.
B) increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
C) increased cloud cover.
D) volcanic eruptions.

Question 32

El Niño causes:

A) excess rain.
B) decreased evaporation.
C) increased strength of the trade winds.
D) both B and C.

Question 33

Coral reefs have been diminishing in recent years because:

A) increased CO2 in ocean water
B) decreased CO2 in ocean water
C) increased methane in ocean water
D) decreased methane in ocean water

Question 34

Variations in Earth's orbit and rotation cause:

A) consistently higher global temperatures.
B) consistently lower global temperatures.
C) no change in solar energy reaching Earth.
D) changes in solar energy reaching Earth.

Question 35

Fossils fuels that have not been extracted do not have any significant affect global warming. True or false?

Question 36

Computer models used to predict global warming take into consideration:

A) surface albedo
B) elevation
C) latitude
D) all of the above

Question 37

Why do volcanic eruptions cause cooling for the weeks/months following the eruption?

A) increased sulfur in the atmosphere reflect energy from the sun
B) volcanic ash acts as a shield to block the sun's energy from reaching earth
C) carbon dioxide is emitted during the eruption
D) both A and B

Question 38

How do fossil fuels contribute to global warming?

A) Burning them breaks the carbon bonds releasing free carbon.
B) Burning them breaks the sulfur bonds releasing free sulfur.
C) Burning them breaks the nitrogen bonds releasing free nitrogen.
D) They have no significant effect.

Question 39

The Younger Dryas cold snap was caused from:

A) an increased melting of freshwater.
B) an increased freezing of freshwater.
C) an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
D) a decrease in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Question 40

Which provides a longer history of earth's temperatures?

A) ice
B) rocks
C) both provide the same history
D) neither provides a history

Question 41

Tree rings can give insight into past:

A) moisture and temperature.
B) fire and disease.
C) air pollution.
D) both A and B.

Question 42

To calculate average global temperature, climatologists:

A) divide the global map by proximity to the ocean.
B) divide the global map into regions by their elevation.
C) divide the global map into 5° by 5° boxes, making a grid system.
D) divide the global map by surface type.

Question 43

What caused the glacial expansion that occurred in the 18th to early 19th century?

A) efforts to prevent global warming
B) "The Little Ice Age"
C) a decrease in the use of fossil fuels
D) a decrease in sea level

Question 44

Which of the following is not a way to add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

A) burning fossil fuels.
B) cooling of the oceans.
C) warming of the oceans.
D) land clearing for agriculture.

Question 45

A data record that substitutes for direct instrumental measurements is called a

A) variation.
B) paleoclimate.
C) correlation.
D) proxy.

Question 46

Computer models predict:

A) the rate of warming will double over the next 30 years.
B) the rate of warming will decrease by half over the next 30 years.
C) the rate of warming will remain constant over the next 30 years.
D) the rate of warming will stop after 30 years.

Question 47

Proxy data used to estimate global temperatures of the past suggest that:

A) the earth is warming at an unusual rate.
B) the earth is warming at a rate consistent with natural causes.
C) the earth is cooling at an unusual rate.
D) the earth is cooling at a rate consistent with natural causes.

Question 48

Overall warming in global temperatures since 1970 can be explained only by human impact. True or false?

Question 49

Since 1870, sea level is:

A) rising at a constant rate.
B) rising at an increasing rate.
C) decreasing at a constant rate.
D) decreasing at an increasing rate.

Question 50

Rotation and orbit of the earth is responsible for the changes in the amount of solar energy reaching earth. True or false?

Question 51

Glacial melting causes:

A) no detectable change in sea level, because of the large volume of the ocean.
B) a decrease in sea level.
C) an increase in sea level.
D) a decrease in average temperature.

Question 52

Computer models cannot accurately predict future interactions relating to Earth's temperature and greenhouse gas emissions, therefore making them uncertain. True or false?

Question 53

What is responsible for the distribution of heat around the earth?

A) radiation from the sun
B) ocean current circulation
C) global winds
D) rotation and orbit of the earth

Question 54

Which two gases account for more than 90% of changes in the greenhouse effect?

A) methane and carbon dioxide
B) methane and nitrogen
C) carbon dioxide and water
D) carbon dioxide and nitrogen

Question 55

Remote sensing images cannot distinguish between land, ice, and water by their temperature. True or False?

Question 56

With no increase in greenhouse gas emissions, computer modeling predicts a rise in overall global temperature because:

A) heat will be absorbed by the ocean causing overall warming.
B) heat will be absorbed by the earth's surface causing overall warming.
C) more heat is expected to radiate from the earth's surface.
D) heat will radiate from ocean water that warmed in previous years.

Question 57

Which of the following is the IPCC responsible for?

A) evaluating the prospects for future climate change
B) evaluating the potential social and economic impacts of climate change
C) evaluating the risk of climate change from human activities
D) all of the above

Question 58

What is the quaternary period?

A) the period when Earth began.
B) the last geologic era.
C) the first geologic era.
D) the present geologic era.

Question 59

If increases in solar energy were causing global warming, the upper atmosphere would be:

A) cooler than the lower atmosphere.
B) slightly warmer than the lower atmosphere.
C) significantly warmer than the lower atmosphere.
D) the same temperature as the lower atmosphere.

Question 60

Cooling in the upper atmosphere and in near-surface temperatures can be explained by:

A) greenhouse effect.
B) increased albedo.
C) rise in sea-level.
D) increase in ocean temperatures.

Question 61

Give 3 examples of evidence of global warming and explain how each points to overall temperature increases. (21.1)

Question 62

What are the effects of a volcanic eruption on atmosphere composition? (21.4)

Question 63

The burial of organic matter that leads to the formation of fossil fuels decreases the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. True or False?

Question 64

What are the Milankovitch cycles?

A) the movement of Earth that causes climate change
B) the movement of ocean water that causes climate change
C) the changes in the amount of carbon being absorbed by the ocean
D) the changes in the amount of radiation being absorbed by the atmosphere

Question 65

Describe the two ways that glaciers can be used to determine past climates. (21.2)

Question 66

According to computer models, by the year 2100, scientists predict a temperature change of:

A) +1.5° - 4° C
B) + 4° - 6° C
C) -1.5° - 4° C
D) -4° - 6° C

Question 67

What is the major natural cause of changes in global climate?

A) volcanoes
B) variations in the Earth's orbit
C) variations in the strength of the sun's energy
D) glacial ice melt

Question 68

What changes back up the idea that a global temperature increase is occurring?

A) decreasing sea ice
B) rising sea level
C) shrinking glaciers
D) all of the above

Question 69

Chemical analyses of calcite composing the fossil microscopic shells of some marine plankton serve as proxy records of:

A) sea level.
B) ocean temperature.
C) glacial ice volume.
D) both B and C.

Question 70

How do volcanoes influence overall climate?

A) a permanent warming
B) a temporary warming
C) a permanent cooling
D) a temporary cooling

Question 71

What is the evidence that the Younger Dryas occurred?

A) proxy temperature records from fossils
B) ice core samples from Greenland
C) temperature records from numerous monitoring stations
D) both A and B

Question 72

What are the current predictions of future climate change and what is one possible uncertainty? (21.6)

Question 73

Describe the conveyor belt-like pattern of ocean circulation that occurs in the Atlantic Ocean. (21.4)

Question 74

Which of the following is a storage reservoir for carbon?

A) rocks
B) ocean water
C) soil
D) all of the above

Question 75

Explain how paleoclimatologists can determine past temperatures through tree rings. (21.2)

Question 76

What are 2 factors that affect albedo and 2 factors that affect atmosphere composition? (21.4)

Question 77

How do computer models show temperature changes? (21.5)

Question 78

Briefly describe the energy budget and 3 factors that affect it. (21.3)

Question 79

Why is older climate data smoother when graphed than the present spikiness?

A) Climate was unusually steady millions of years ago.
B) Each data point represents less years in the older data.
C) Each data point represents more years in the older data.
D) Both A and C