Question 1

A major part of the greenhouse effect is that it involves the absorption of the earth's outgoing radiation by atmospheric gases. Along with carbon dioxide, what atmospheric component is largely responsible for this process?

Accepted Answer

Water vapor is responsible for the majority of the absorption of the earth's outgoing radiation in the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide also plays a significant role, but water vapor in the atmosphere is much more abundant and has a stronger ability to absorb heat. Nitrogen and oxygen, which make up the vast majority of the atmosphere, do not have significant greenhouse gas properties. Nitrous oxide is a minor greenhouse gas compared to carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Question 2

Volcanic eruptions can act as agents for climate change since they:

Accepted Answer

Volcanic eruptions release large amounts of ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which reflects sunlight back into space and reduces the amount of solar radiation that reaches Earth's surface. This can cause a decrease in global temperatures and act as an agent for climate change.

Question 3

Measured variations in the Sun's emission of radiation and observed changes in the earth's climate:

Accepted Answer

While there is evidence of variations in the Sun's output of radiation, it has not been clearly linked to observed changes in the earth's climate. The relationship between the two is complex and not yet fully understood. The cycles mentioned in choices B and C refer to the Sun's sunspot cycle, which is separate from its radiation output.

Question 4

Which of these is the most important cause of the increase in atmospheric CO₂?

Accepted Answer

Burning of coal and petroleum releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. However, in addition to CO2, the burning of these fuels also releases other gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These gases can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form carbonyl sulfide (COS). COS is a greenhouse gas that absorbs and emits radiation, contributing to the warming of the Earth's atmosphere. Therefore, the burning of coal and petroleum is the most important cause of the increase in atmospheric COS.

Question 5

Which one of the following statements is NOT related to the astronomical theory of climatic change?

Accepted Answer

The astronomical theory of climatic change, also known as Milankovitch cycles, focuses on changes in Earth's movements and positions relative to the Sun, such as the shape of its orbit (C), the tilt of its axis (D), and the wobble of its axis (E). It does not directly involve variations in solar output (B), which is more related to the Sun's internal processes than Earth's astronomical characteristics.

Question 6

The cryosphere consists of:

Accepted Answer

The cryosphere refers to the frozen water on Earth, including areas such as ice sheets, glaciers, frozen lakes and rivers, and snow-covered regions. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

Question 7

The person who first developed and strongly advocated the astronomical theory was:

Accepted Answer

Milutin Milankovitch was the person who first developed and advocated the astronomical theory, which explains the changes in Earth's climate over long periods of time as a result of variations in the orbit, tilt, and precession of Earth's axis.

Question 8

Sulfur dioxide aerosols:

Accepted Answer

Sulfur dioxide aerosols can serve as condensation nuclei, which means they can attract water vapor and form into droplets, leading to the formation of clouds.

Question 9

Scientists expect climate change to:

Accepted Answer

Scientists expect climate change to cause each decade to be warmer than the previous one. This is due to the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which trap more heat and cause a gradual warming trend over time. While there may be regional variations and occasional cooling trends, the overall trend is towards increasing warmth.

Question 10

In addition to their role in depleting stratospheric ozone, ________are also effective greenhouse gases.

Accepted Answer

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are both responsible for depleting the ozone layer and are highly effective greenhouse gases. Their use has been largely phased out due to environmental concerns. Nitrous oxides and volatile organic compounds are also greenhouse gases, but they do not have the same impact on the ozone layer as CFCs. Primary pollutants refers to a range of pollutants that are directly released into the atmosphere, but this term does not specifically relate to greenhouse gases or ozone depletion.

Question 11

The volcano that caused "the year without a summer" was:

Accepted Answer

The volcano that caused "the year without a summer" was Tambora in Indonesia. It erupted in 1815 and caused global climatic anomalies, including a cooling effect that led to crop failures and famine in Europe, North America, and Asia in 1816.

Question 12

The sunspots produce huge ejections of particles that:

Accepted Answer

Sunspots can produce coronal mass ejections (CMEs) which can release charged particles that interact with Earth's magnetosphere, causing auroras in the atmosphere.

Question 13

The acronym GCM stands for:

Accepted Answer

General circulation model (GCM) is a type of climate model that uses mathematical equations to simulate atmospheric and oceanic processes.

Question 14

The group assembled by the World Meteorological Organization for the purpose of assessing the known information related to human- induced climate change is known as:

Accepted Answer

The correct group assembled by the World Meteorological Organization for the purpose of assessing the known information related to human-induced climate change is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The other options, such as the Climate Change Consortium and the Expert Panel on Climate Change, are not recognized groups for assessing climate change by the WMO.

Question 15

Sunspot activity tends to follow a cycle of roughly:

Accepted Answer

Sunspot activity tends to follow a cycle of approximately 11 years. This cycle is known as the solar cycle or the sunspot cycle. During this cycle, the number of sunspots and solar flares increase and decrease in a predictable pattern. This cycle has been studied and observed for hundreds of years, and is thought to be related to changes in the magnetic fields of the sun.

Question 16

The Milankovitch cycles cannot entirely explain recent global warming trends because:

Accepted Answer

The Milankovitch cycles operate on a very long time scale of thousands to tens of thousands of years and cannot address shorter term cycles, such as the recent global warming trends that have occurred over decades.

Question 17

What was the name of the volcano that erupted in 1991 in the Phillipines and lowered global temperatures by 0.5^○C?

Accepted Answer

The volcano that erupted in 1991 in the Philippines was Mt. Pinatubo. This eruption released large amounts of sulfur dioxide and other gases, which combined with water in the atmosphere to form sulfate aerosols. The aerosols reflected incoming solar radiation, which caused a cooling effect that lowered global temperatures by about 0.5°C. El Chichon and Mt. St. Helens both had significant eruptions, but they did not have the same impact on global temperatures as Mt. Pinatubo. Tambora had a much larger eruption in 1815 that also caused significant global cooling.

Question 18

What is the primary goal of a paleoclimatologist?

Accepted Answer

The primary goal of a paleoclimatologist is to reconstruct past climates, using evidence such as temperature records, ice core samples, and sediment layers. By understanding how climate has changed in the past, they can gain insights into current climate change and make predictions for the future. While paleoclimatologists may study the impacts of volcanic eruptions on climate and other related topics, their main focus is on reconstructing past climates. They also do not seek to prove that climate change caused the dinosaur mass extinction, as this is a topic for paleontologists rather than paleoclimatologists.

Question 19

Studies have shown that the sea level:

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that the sea level has risen about 25 centimeters since 1870 due to factors such as melting glaciers and thermal expansion of seawater. The other choices are not supported by scientific evidence.

Question 20

Which regions on Earth have displayed the greatest temperature anomalies in 2010 (based on the 1951- 1980 average)?

Accepted Answer

The high latitudes have displayed the greatest temperature anomalies in 2010 compared to the 1951-1980 average. This is due to the phenomenon known as polar amplification, where changes in the Earth's atmosphere lead to larger swings in temperature near the poles compared to the rest of the planet.

Quiz 14: The Changing Climate

A major part of the greenhouse effect is that it involves the absorption of the earth's outgoing radiation by atmospheric gases. Along with carbon dioxide, what atmospheric component is largely responsible for this process?

Volcanic eruptions can act as agents for climate change since they:

Measured variations in the Sun's emission of radiation and observed changes in the earth's climate:

Which of these is the most important cause of the increase in atmospheric CO₂?

Which one of the following statements is NOT related to the astronomical theory of climatic change?

The cryosphere consists of:

The person who first developed and strongly advocated the astronomical theory was:

Sulfur dioxide aerosols:

Scientists expect climate change to:

In addition to their role in depleting stratospheric ozone, ________are also effective greenhouse gases.

The volcano that caused "the year without a summer" was:

The sunspots produce huge ejections of particles that:

The acronym GCM stands for:

The group assembled by the World Meteorological Organization for the purpose of assessing the known information related to human- induced climate change is known as:

Sunspot activity tends to follow a cycle of roughly:

The Milankovitch cycles cannot entirely explain recent global warming trends because:

What was the name of the volcano that erupted in 1991 in the Phillipines and lowered global temperatures by 0.5^○C?

What is the primary goal of a paleoclimatologist?

Studies have shown that the sea level:

Which regions on Earth have displayed the greatest temperature anomalies in 2010 (based on the 1951- 1980 average) ?

Quiz 14: The Changing Climate

A major part of the greenhouse effect is that it involves the absorption of the earth's outgoing radiation by atmospheric gases. Along with carbon dioxide, what atmospheric component is largely responsible for this process?

Volcanic eruptions can act as agents for climate change since they:

Measured variations in the Sun's emission of radiation and observed changes in the earth's climate:

Which of these is the most important cause of the increase in atmospheric CO2?

Which one of the following statements is NOT related to the astronomical theory of climatic change?

The cryosphere consists of:

The person who first developed and strongly advocated the astronomical theory was:

Sulfur dioxide aerosols:

Scientists expect climate change to:

In addition to their role in depleting stratospheric ozone, ________are also effective greenhouse gases.

The volcano that caused "the year without a summer" was:

The sunspots produce huge ejections of particles that:

The acronym GCM stands for:

The group assembled by the World Meteorological Organization for the purpose of assessing the known information related to human- induced climate change is known as:

Sunspot activity tends to follow a cycle of roughly:

The Milankovitch cycles cannot entirely explain recent global warming trends because:

What was the name of the volcano that erupted in 1991 in the Phillipines and lowered global temperatures by 0.5○C?

What is the primary goal of a paleoclimatologist?

Studies have shown that the sea level:

Which regions on Earth have displayed the greatest temperature anomalies in 2010 (based on the 1951- 1980 average) ?

Which of these is the most important cause of the increase in atmospheric CO₂?

What was the name of the volcano that erupted in 1991 in the Phillipines and lowered global temperatures by 0.5^○C?