Deck 21: Climate Change

Question 1

Ice core records from Greenland indicate that atmospheric temperature changed several times by __________ within 5 to 10 years during the past 35,000 years.

A) 5°C to 10°C
B) 5°C to 20°C
C) 10°C to 15°C
D) 10°C to 20°C

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The four industrial greenhouse gases are __________ __________, __________, __________, and __________ __________.

Answer 2

carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrogen oxides

Question 3

__________ __________ ratios in glacial ice can be used to infer past temperatures.

Answer 3

Oxygen isotope

Question 4

In Earth's history, the concentration of carbon dioxide and water in the atmosphere __________ gradually as the Sun __________.

A) increased, warmed
B) increased, cooled
C) declined, warmed
D) declined, cooled

Question 5

__________ impacts can cause rapid and catastrophic climate changes.

Question 6

The thawing of permafrost can release the greenhouse gas __________ into the atmosphere.

Question 7

Scientists determine past tree species abundances by studying __________ preserved in lake bottoms and bogs.

Question 8

Marine organisms absorb calcium and carbonate ions from seawater and convert them into __________ __________ in shells and other hard body parts.

Question 9

As temperature increases, the ratio of ¹⁸O to ¹⁶O in hard tissues, such as bone and shell, of many organisms __________.

Question 10

Snowfields and glaciers have high albedos and cool Earth by __________ sunlight.

Question 11

Methane gas is stored in sea-floor sediments under certain temperature and pressure conditions as frozen __________ __________.

Question 12

When carbon dioxide gas dissolves in seawater, it reacts to form bicarbonate and __________ ions.

Question 13

The Sun was __________ percent fainter early in Earth's history than it is today.

A) 10 to 20
B) 20 to 30
C) 30 to 40
D) 40 to 50

Question 14

There is evidence that extreme cold periods 600 to 700 million years ago froze the oceans from pole to pole and covered the continents with glaciers, leading to a __________ __________.

Question 15

Climate change does not follow linear relationships; instead, many __________ and __________ mechanisms are important

Question 16

When fossil fuels burn, carbon is released into the atmosphere as __________ __________.

Question 17

The Little Ice Age lasted from about __________.

A) 450 to 850
B) 1000 to 1400
C) 1450 to 1850
D) 1600 to 2000

Question 18

__________ record a tree's growth depending on climate.

A) Tree isotopes
B) Tree pollen
C) Tree layers
D) Tree rings

Question 19

Carbon exists in the atmosphere mostly as methane and __________ __________.

Question 20

The Sun produces energy by __________ __________.

Question 21

Rapid plate movement and sea-floor spreading cause global __________ because the Mid-Oceanic Ridge becomes __________.

A) sea-level fall, wider
B) sea-level fall, thinner
C) sea-level rise, wider
D) sea-level rise, thinner

Question 22

Carbon exists in the atmosphere mostly as __________ and __________.

A) carbon dioxide, methane
B) calcium carbonate, methane
C) carbon dioxide, calcium carbonate
D) methane, bicarbonate

Question 23

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas?

A) neon
B) argon
C) methane
D) helium

Question 24

During photosynthesis:

A) carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is removed from the atmosphere.
B) carbon dioxide, which is not a greenhouse gas, is removed from the atmosphere.
C) oxygen, which is not a greenhouse gas, is removed from the atmosphere.
D) oxygen, which is a greenhouse gas, is removed from the atmosphere.

Question 25

About 55 million years ago, climate warmed. According to one model, surface water evaporated, and the salinity of seawater __________. This water __________ and __________ methane hydrates on the sea floor, leading to a/an __________ in global temperature.

A) increased, sank, melted, increase
B) decreased, sank, melted, increase
C) decreased, floated on the surface, melted, increase
D) increased, sank, froze, decrease

Question 26

Which of the following statements about climate change is true?

A) The Earth's mean global temperature has fluctuated throughout geologic time.
B) The Earth's mean global temperature has increased steadily throughout geologic time.
C) The Earth's mean global temperature has decreased steadily throughout geologic time.
D) The Earth's mean global temperature has been relatively constant throughout geologic time.

Question 27

Water molecules containing ¹⁶O are __________ and evaporate __________ than those containing ¹⁸O.

A) lighter, more easily
B) lighter, at a lower rate
C) heavier, more easily
D) heavier, at a lower rate

Question 28

The most useful of the methods listed below for determining paleotemperatures one billion years ago is:

A) measuring oxygen isotope ratios in Greenland ice.
B) studying rocks and fossils.
C) studying historical records.
D) counting tree rings.

Question 29

The four industrial greenhouse gases are:

A) carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, and oxygen.
B) carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen, and oxygen.
C) methane, chlorofluorocarbons, oxygen, and nitrogen oxides.
D) carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, and nitrogen oxides.

Question 30

Since the Earth formed, solar energy output:

A) has slowly decreased.
B) has slowly increased.
C) has first increased, then decreased.
D) hasn't changed at all.

Question 31

Greenhouse gases:

A) block infrared radiation and prevent heat from entering our atmosphere.
B) prevent infrared radiation.
C) reflect infrared radiation back into space.
D) absorb infrared radiation and trap heat in our atmosphere.

Question 32

Marine corals and shelled organisms:

A) release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as they convert carbonate ions to hard shells.
B) convert carbon from the remains of dead plants and animals to hard shells.
C) extract carbon from the lower crust and upper mantle.
D) absorb calcium and carbonate ions from seawater and convert them to hard shells.

Question 33

Snow and ice have __________ albedos and __________ Earth by reflecting sunlight.

A) low, warm
B) low, cool
C) high, warm
D) high, cool
Multiple Choice

Question 34

The atmosphere has warmed by about __________ during the last 50 years.

A) 0.15°C
B) 5°C
C) 0.8°C
D) 1.5°C

Question 35

Most thick limestones formed in __________ seas.

A) warm, deep
B) warm, shallow
C) cold, deep
D) cold, shallow

Question 36

Continental interiors generally experience __________ winters and __________ summers than coastal areas.

A) colder, cooler
B) colder, hotter
C) warmer, cooler
D) warmer, hotter

Question 37

Many organisms absorb a high ratio of ¹⁸O/¹⁶O at __________ temperatures, but the ratio __________ with increasing temperature.

A) low, increases
B) low, decreases
C) high, increases
D) high, decreases

Question 38

When sea level rises, the global albedo __________, leading to a/an __________ in global temperature.

A) increases, increase
B) increases, decrease
C) decreases, decrease
D) decreases, increase

Question 39

Which of the following is not true for carbon dioxide? It:

A) dissolves in seawater.
B) is destroyed when organic matter is burned.
C) reacts with other chemicals to form solid rocks.
D) absorbs infrared radiation.

Question 40

Oxygen isotope ratios in Greenland and Antarctic glaciers:

A) reflect sea surface temperatures 500 million to one billion years ago.
B) are the most useful method for determining global temperatures in the past 100 years.
C) reflect atmospheric temperatures within the past 110,000 years.
D) directly measure the temperature of the ocean depths 10,000 years ago.

Question 41

The atmosphere is the biggest carbon reservoir of all of Earth's spheres.

Question 42

Extreme weather events will likely become more common in a warmer world.

Question 43

Climate change does not follow linear relationships.

Question 44

When carbon dioxide gas dissolves in seawater, it forms calcium carbonate.

Question 45

Scientists study old landscape paintings to chronicle historical climates.

Question 46

The Mesozoic was a relatively warm era.

Question 47

Changes in the Earth's orbit around the Sun:

A) cannot cause climate change.
B) cause climate change only when the continents are near the poles.
C) may cause climate change by altering the frequency of sunspots.
D) may have caused the advances and retreats of the Pleistocene glaciers.

Question 48

The collapse of the west Antarctic Ice Sheet could lead to:

A) rising sea level and further global warming.
B) falling sea level and further global warming.
C) falling sea level and slower global warming.
D) rising sea level, which could stop global warming.

Question 49

A massive bolide impact about 65 million years ago:

A) warmed the atmosphere by releasing carbon dioxide.
B) cooled the atmosphere by releasing carbon dioxide.
C) warmed the atmosphere by releasing ash and sulfur compounds.
D) cooled the atmosphere by releasing enough rock and dust to block out sunlight.

Question 50

Water in the atmosphere can cause both warming and cooling.

Question 51

Temperature records for the past 125 years show a steady temperature increase at a constant rate.

Question 52

Weathering of carbonate rocks removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and cools the Earth.

Question 53

The ocean has become more acidic in the past decades, but marine organisms have not been affected by this.

Question 54

¹⁸O is a very abundant isotope of oxygen.

Question 55

The ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratio in glacial ice reflects water temperature at the time the water evaporated.

Question 56

Plant pollen can only be used for the past several hundred years to infer climate conditions.

Question 57

Any process decreasing photosynthesis in an ecosystem will:

A) remove carbon dioxide from the air and increase global warming.
B) remove carbon dioxide from the air and decrease global warming.
C) add more carbon dioxide into the air and increase global warming.
D) add more carbon dioxide into the air and decrease global warming.
True/False

Question 58

The presence of tillite indicates that the sediment was deposited during a period of cold climate.

Question 59

Carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere during volcanic eruptions.

Question 60

The Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991:

A) warmed the atmosphere by releasing carbon dioxide.
B) cooled the atmosphere by releasing ash and sulfur compounds.
C) warmed the atmosphere by releasing ash and sulfur compounds.
D) cooled the atmosphere by releasing carbon dioxide.