Deck 10: The Climate System and Glaciation

Question 1

Which atmospheric layer contains most of the Earth's ozone?

A) stratosphere
B) mesosphere
C) thermosphere

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The cryosphere holds about _____ of the Earth's fresh water supply.

A) 2%
B) 50%
C) 75%

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which part of the lithosphere is most important in influencing the climate system?

A) crust-mantle boundary
B) land surface
C) oceanic crust

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What type of glacier covers Antarctica?

A) valley glacier
B) oceanic glacier
C) continental glacier

Question 5

Ice covers what percentage of the Antarctic continent?

A) 50%
B) 75%
C) 90%

Question 6

The amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface throughout the year is ___ W/m².

A) 0.06
B) 158
C) 342

Question 7

A planet with an atmosphere containing greenhouse gases radiates solar energy back into space ___ than a planet with no atmosphere.

A) less efficiently
B) more efficiently
C) Atmosphere has no influence on how a planet reflects solar energy back into space.

Question 8

If the Earth's atmosphere did not contain greenhouse gases, then the average surface temperature required to balance the non-reflected solar radiation would be about

A) 22°C.
B) 0°C.
C) -19°C.

Question 9

What percent of the incoming solar radiation is reflected due to the Earth's albedo effect?

A) 10%
B) 31%
C) 49%

Question 10

During an El Niño year, which of the following occurs?

A) The Pacific trade winds decrease and cool water accumulates in the eastern Pacific.
B) The Pacific trade winds decrease and warm water accumulates in the eastern Pacific.
C) The Pacific trade winds increase and cool water accumulates in the eastern Pacific.
D) The Pacific trade winds increase and warm water accumulates in the eastern Pacific.

Question 11

During the Wisconsin glacial maximum, the volume of ice in the continental ice sheets was ___ times greater than the volume of ice on Earth today.

A) two
B) three
C) 100

Question 12

What are erratics?

A) conflicting dates of glaciation obtained by dating organic material found in glaciers
B) cross-beds that do not match the overall outwash cross-bedding scheme
C) large boulders deposited randomly by glaciers
D) valleys with glacial striations that oppose the striations in adjacent valleys

Question 13

A glacier is receding if __________.

A) the amount of accumulation exceeds the amount of ablation
B) the amount of ablation exceeds the amount of accumulation
C) the amount of calving exceeds the amount of sublimation
D) the amount of sublimation exceeds the amount of ablation

Question 14

The Andes Mountains of South America lie in a belt of prevailing easterly winds. On which side of the Andes would you expect glaciers to form?

A) east side
B) west side
C) both east and west sides

Question 15

The amount of snow added to a glacier annually is called

A) accumulation.
B) ablation.
C) sublimation.

Question 16

Which of the following agents of erosion is the most efficient?

A) water
B) wind
C) ice

Question 17

Which of the following is a glacial deposit and not a glacial erosional feature?

A) cirque
B) moraine
C) arête

Question 18

What are kettles?

A) hollows or undrained depressions in outwash plains
B) long, narrow, winding ridges of sand in ground moraine
C) small hills of sand and gravel dumped at or near the edge of the ice

Question 19

Which of the following is not an ice-laid glacial deposit?

A) esker
B) moraine
C) drumlin

Question 20

Glacial periods tend to coincide with periods of ___ eccentricity in the Earth's orbit.

A) high
B) low
C) variable

Question 21

During glacial periods, the concentration of carbon dioxide in trapped air bubbles in glacial ice is ___ when compared to the concentration during interglacial periods.

A) lower
B) higher
C) the same

Question 22

Who deduced that large continental glaciers once covered much of the Earth's land surface?

A) Charles Darwin
B) James Hutton
C) Louis Agassiz

Question 23

When did the oldest confirmed glaciation occur in Earth history?

A) 240 Ma
B) 2400 Ma
C) 4560 Ma

Question 24

When did the advance of ice during the Wisconsin glaciation reach its maximum extent?

A) About 18,000 years ago
B) About 1800 years ago
C) About 1.8 million years ago
D) About 180,000 years ago

Question 25

Compared to today, about how much did sea level change during the Wisconsin glacial maximum?

A) At the Wisconsin glacial maximum sea level was about 130 meters higher than today.
B) At the Wisconsin glacial maximum sea level was about 25 meters higher than today.
C) At the Wisconsin glacial maximum sea level was about 130 meters lower than today.
D) At the Wisconsin glacial maximum sea level was about 25 meters lower than today.

Question 26

Of the three Milankovitch cycles, the precession cycle has the largest impact on the amount of solar radiation Earth receives from the Sun.

Question 27

Scientists have found that Milankovitch cycles alone cannot account for the estimated 10°C drop in average temperature that occurs from an interglacial period to a glacial period.

Question 28

Tillites are geologic deposits formed by which agent of sediment transport?

A) glaciers
B) rivers
C) wind
D) ocean waves

Question 29

In the "Snowball Earth hypothesis" what is proposed to have ended the "Snowball Earth"?

A) formation of methane ice
B) changing Milankovitch cycles
C) buildup of volcanic gasses
D) increased solar output

Question 30

What is the result of an increase in albedo?

A) increased reflection of solar energy
B) decreased reflection of solar energy
C) increased production of solar energy
D) decreased production of solar energy

Question 31

North America was the continent most affected by the Permian-Pennsylvanian glaciation.

Question 32

According to the Snowball Earth hypothesis, the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide acts as a positive feedback mechanism.

Question 33

The Snowball Earth hypothesis is controversial in the science of geology.