Question 1

Which one of the following has a net negative forcing effect on global climate?
A)Carbon dioxide
B)Methane
C)Water vapor
D)Sulfate aerosols

Accepted Answer

Sulfate aerosols have a net negative forcing effect on global climate. They reflect incoming solar radiation back into space, which cools the Earth's surface. Carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor all have a net positive forcing effect on global climate, as they trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Question 2

Which of the following is causing global sea levels to rise?
A)Large amounts of carbon dioxide diffusing into seawater
B)The expansion of ocean water as it warms
C)Airborne silt and sand from desertified landscapes forming sediments on the bottom of oceans
D)Greatly increased precipitation

Accepted Answer

The expansion of ocean water as it warms is a primary cause of global sea level rise. As the Earth's atmosphere warms due to climate change, ocean water absorbs heat and expands, contributing significantly to rising sea levels.

Question 3

The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC)indicates that_____________ .
A)Earth has never experienced the level of warming that has occurred over the past 30 years.
B)Earth has actually been cooling for the past 15 years.
C)Earth is now at its warmest point in the past 800- 1400 years.
D)modern global climate change has been triggered primarily by natural causes.

Accepted Answer

The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report concludes that Earth is now at its warmest point in the past 800-1400 years, indicating that global climate change is occurring and likely driven by human activities as opposed to natural causes. The report does not indicate that Earth has been cooling for the past 15 years or that the current level of warming has never been experienced before.

Question 4

The most dramatic temperature shifts in the past few decades have been______________ .
A)in Arctic areas such as Canada and Greenland
B)on land near the equator
C)in the oceans nearest the equator
D)in the inland areas of South America and Africa

Accepted Answer

Arctic areas such as Canada and Greenland have experienced the most dramatic temperature shifts in the past few decades due to accelerated warming in the polar regions caused by climate change.

Question 5

Which of the following gases has the greatest impact on global climate change?
A)Carbon dioxide
B)Water vapor
C)Nitrous oxide
D)Methane

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide is considered to be the most significant greenhouse gas responsible for global climate change. It stays in the atmosphere for a long time (up to hundreds of years) and is released through human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and certain industrial processes. Its concentration in the atmosphere has increased significantly since the industrial revolution and is the primary reason for global warming. While other gases like water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane also contribute to global warming, their concentrations in the atmosphere are much lower compared to carbon dioxide.

Question 6

Over the past 50 years the average rate of sea level rise has been 1.8 mm per year.Explain the two primary factors responsible for this rise in sea level.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Over the past 50 years the average...

Question 7

Which of the following would cause a negative forcing?
A)A large volcanic eruption spewing ash high into the atmosphere,blocking sunlight around the world for years until the ash cloud slowly dissipates
B)Snow- covered ice sheets in Greenland melting and revealing bare rock
C)An increase in the burning of fossil fuels,leading to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
D)All of these scenarios would cause a negative forcing.

Accepted Answer

A large volcanic eruption spewing ash high into the atmosphere blocks sunlight, which leads to a decrease in global temperatures, causing negative forcing. In contrast, options B and C would cause positive forcing.

Question 8

Which one of the following best illustrates a type of adaptation strategy in response to climate change?
A)Widening the Panama Canal to allow larger ships to move from China to Europe
B)Building taller levees along ocean coastlines to hold back rising sea levels and storm surges
C)Using solar and nuclear power to generate electricity instead of burning coal
D)Increasing the use of public transportation systems in cities

Accepted Answer

Building taller levees along ocean coastlines to hold back rising sea levels and storm surges is a type of adaptation strategy in response to climate change as it addresses the immediate impacts of sea-level rise and storm surges. It is a physical adaptation measure aimed at minimizing the impacts of climate change on coastal infrastructure and communities.

Question 9

Growing rice results in the release of___________ into the atmosphere.
A)CFCs
B)sulfate aerosols
C)methane
D)sulfur oxides

Accepted Answer

Rice paddies are known to release methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere during the process of cultivation.

Question 10

Which of the following have contributed most to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels over the past 250 years?
A)The thawing of permafrost and habitat alteration for agriculture
B)Deforestation and ocean acidification
C)Deforestation and combustion of fossil fuels
D)Volcanic eruptions and widespread forest fires

Accepted Answer

Deforestation and combustion of fossil fuels are the two leading causes of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels over the past 250 years. Deforestation contributes to the increase in CO2 because trees absorb CO2 during photosynthesis and release it when they are cut down. Combustion of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) releases large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere that have accumulated over millions of years. The burning of fossil fuels for energy is the largest contributor to atmospheric CO2, accounting for around 75% of total emissions.

Question 11

Scientists use proxy records in climate research to determine_____________ .
A)climates hundreds and thousands of years ago
B)changes in the ozone layer over the past 30 years
C)current levels of carbon dioxide
D)changes in temperature over the past 100 years

Accepted Answer

Proxy records are indirect measurements that provide information about past climate conditions, such as ice core samples, tree ring analysis, and sediment cores. These records allow scientists to study climates hundreds and thousands of years ago. Therefore, option A is the correct choice.

Question 12

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC is an international panel that____________ .
A)constructed and oversees the Montreal Protocol
B)could not achieve its objectives because of lack of popular support
C)summarizes research and reports on potential future impacts of climate change
D)performed the research included in the climate change findings

Accepted Answer

The IPCC was established in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme to provide scientific information to policymakers regarding climate change. Its main role is to summarize and assess scientific research on climate change and its potential future impacts, and to provide recommendations to governments and organizations on how to mitigate and adapt to those impacts. It does not construct or oversee international agreements like the Montreal Protocol, nor does it perform the research itself.

Question 13

Which of the following is an artificial compound that acts as a greenhouse gas?
A)Carbon dioxide
B)Nitrous oxide
C)Methane
D)Chlorofluorocarbons

Accepted Answer

Chlorofluorocarbons, also known as CFCs, are synthetic compounds that were commonly used in refrigeration and industrial processes. They were also used as propellants in aerosol sprays. CFCs are known to deplete the ozone layer and also act as greenhouse gases, trapping heat in the atmosphere and contributing to global warming.

Question 14

Explain what mitigation strategies are,and describe two mitigation approaches that are currently being employed to address climate change.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain what mitigation strategies are,and describe two...

Question 15

Carbon dioxide is __________ .
A)the most abundant greenhouse gas
B)the only greenhouse gas presently increasing in the atmosphere
C)more potent per molecule of gas)than methane
D)produced during the combustion of fossil fuels

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide is produced during the combustion of fossil fuels. It is not the most abundant greenhouse gas (water vapor is), nor is it the only greenhouse gas increasing in the atmosphere (methane and others are also increasing). Methane is more potent per molecule than carbon dioxide.

Question 16

Global temperature trends can be reconstructed from proxy records such as_______________and____________ .
A)lake sediments;gases trapped in glacial ice cores
B)the frequency of volcanic eruptions;gases trapped in glacial ice cores
C)the frequency of volcanic eruptions;fossils
D)fossils;sea level records

Accepted Answer

Lake sediments and gases trapped in glacial ice cores are two important proxy records that allow for the reconstruction of global temperature trends. Lake sediments contain organic matter that can provide information on past temperatures, while gases trapped in glacial ice cores can provide information on the composition of the atmosphere at different points in time, including temperature. Other options such as volcanic eruptions, fossils, and sea level records may provide information on other aspects of earth's history, but they do not directly provide information on temperature trends.

Quiz 5: Populations and Communities

Which one of the following has a net negative forcing effect on global climate?

Which of the following is causing global sea levels to rise?

The Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC) indicates that_____________ .

The most dramatic temperature shifts in the past few decades have been______________ .

Which of the following gases has the greatest impact on global climate change?

Over the past 50 years the average rate of sea level rise has been 1.8 mm per year.Explain the two primary factors responsible for this rise in sea level.

Which of the following would cause a negative forcing?

Which one of the following best illustrates a type of adaptation strategy in response to climate change?

Growing rice results in the release of___________ into the atmosphere.

Which of the following have contributed most to the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels over the past 250 years?

Scientists use proxy records in climate research to determine_____________ .

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC is an international panel that____________ .

Which of the following is an artificial compound that acts as a greenhouse gas?

Explain what mitigation strategies are,and describe two mitigation approaches that are currently being employed to address climate change.

Carbon dioxide is __________ .

Global temperature trends can be reconstructed from proxy records such as___and .