Deck 16: Global Climate Change

Question 1

Which of the following best explains the effect of greenhouse gases on Earth's atmosphere?

A) absorb some of the energy Earth radiates out into space.
B) produce more carbon dioxide which generates more plant growth.
C) absorb some of the incoming radiation from the Sun.
D) act as a shield that reflects some of the incoming radiation from the Sun.
E) allow the atmosphere to hold more water vapor.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Sea level is expected rise due to continued melting of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. Which of the following best describes why climatologists are likely to have underestimated the rate of sea level rise?

A) ice sheets are melting from within as water flows down through fractures.
B) the volume of ocean water is larger than expected.
C) the volume of ice is larger than expected.
D) the greenhouse effect is more intense than expected.
E) the rate at which ice sheets flow into the ocean is much slower than expected.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas?

A) nitrogen (N₂)
B) methane (CH₄)
C) carbon dioxide (CO₂)
D) water (H₂O)
E) nitrogen oxide (N₂O)

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Earth's glacial periods are explained by orbital variations that produce a small temperature change, which is then amplified by changes in carbon dioxide concentrations.

Question 5

What best explains why glacial ice cores are ideal for examining climatic conditions in Earth's past?

A) provide high-resolution data on both temperature and carbon dioxide
B) provide actual atmospheric temperatures going back millions of years
C) are not contaminated by volcanic activity
D) record both warming and cooling periods
E) all of the answers listed here

Question 6

To slow the current warming trend, industrialized nations must reduce their overall rate of greenhouse gas emissions.

Question 7

Which of the following are considered climate feedback mechanisms?

A) greenhouse gases and reflection/adsorption of sunlight
B) short-wavelength radiation and ocean circulation
C) greenhouse gases and short-wavelength radiation
D) short-wavelength radiation and reflection/adsorption of sunlight
E) ocean tides and ocean circulation

Question 8

Which of the following do climatologists predict will occur as the Earth continues to warm?

A) all of the answers listed here
B) more frequent heavy rain and snow events
C) more frequent droughts
D) atmosphere will hold more water vapor
E) higher evaporation rates

Question 9

Ice core data have revealed which of the following?

A) all of the answers listed here.
B) Earth's climate has been remarkably stable for the past 10,000 years.
C) current carbon dioxide concentrations are far outside of Earth's recent operating range.
D) Earth's climate shows a history of abrupt and rapid changes in temperature.
E) there's a strong correlation between atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature.

Question 10

Which of the following statements with respect to Earth's climate is NOT true?

A) atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are currently well within Earth's recent operating range.
B) Earth is currently in a strong warming trend.
C) variation in energy output from the Sun is too small to explain current warming.
D) past climate changes have caused societies to collapse.
E) the greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon.

Question 11

Ocean acidification is taking place as the oceans absorb some of the additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What is the basic environmental problem that this creates?

A) more difficult for marine organisms to secret their own protective shells.
B) makes it unsafe for humans to go swimming in the ocean.
C) increases the rate of evaporation of seawater.
D) causes the oceans to become even more saline, thereby reducing ocean circulation.
E) all of the answers listed here.

Question 12

Which of the following best explains why continued warming of the Arctic is expected to greatly accelerate the rate of global warming?

A) loss of sea ice and thawing of gas hydrates
B) reversal of the Gulf Stream and slowing of the Jet Stream
C) sea level rise and thawing of gas hydrates
D) reversal of the Gulf Stream and sea level rise
E) slowing of the Jet Stream and loss of sea ice

Question 13

There are several long-term changes in Earth's orbit that affect how heat from the Sun is distributed over the planet. Which of the following describes how the orbit changes from being elliptical to more circular?

A) eccentricity
B) precession
C) axial tilt
D) axial cyclicity
E) solar obliqueness

Question 14

Which of the following statements regarding variations in Earth's orbit is true?

A) even together, they don't produce enough temperature change to cause an ice age.
B) they can fully account for the recent rise in global temperature.
C) their combined effect on past global temperatures is purely hypothetical.
D) their effect on global temperatures was only recently discovered by NASA scientists.
E) all of the answers listed here.

Question 15

What do climatologists NOT expect to see now that Earth's climate system has been pushed to a higher energy level?

A) the warming trend to reverse in the near future
B) changing precipitation patterns
C) more intense storms
D) more record highs
E) less record lows

Question 16

What do climatologists fear might happen if the Earth system crosses a climate threshold?

A) system will enter a period of abrupt and dramatic climate change
B) global temperatures will spike
C) carbon dioxide will become a major constituent of the atmosphere
D) record precipitation levels will cause flooding over most of the continents
E) trees will no longer be able to absorb carbon dioxide

Question 17

With respect to modeling Earth's climate system, which of the following best describes global circulation models (GCMs)?

A) accurately simulate the past climate and are used to project the future climate
B) simulations of the past climate are too uncertain, thus future projections are fairly meaningless
C) are only models, hence cannot accurately simulate something as complicated as climate
D) can accurately simulate future temperature increases, but not precipitation
E) have too many unknown variables to be used with any degree of certainty

Question 18

What best explains the problem with using sediment layers to determine past climatic conditions?

A) do not provide details on year-to-year variations
B) are typically buried and not very accessible
C) do not go far enough back in time
D) only provide information at a given location as opposed to globally
E) do not provide information on igneous and metamorphic rocks

Question 19

One important consequence of global warming is that Earth's climatic zones are expected to shift. Which of the following would affect large parts of Earth's population as winters arrive later and end earlier?

A) less melt water to sustain streams during the summer months
B) less sunlight during the agricultural growing season
C) shortening of the agricultural growing season
D) increased flooding during the winter months
E) colder winters

Question 20

Which of the following statements regarding carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the greenhouse effect is true?

A) all of the answers listed here.
B) link between CO₂ and the greenhouse effect was proven in the 1800s.
C) CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere is relatively low.
D) global warming from burning fossil fuels was predicted in the 1800s.
E) without CO₂, the average global temperature would be below freezing.