Question 1

Studies of past climates have shown that climate has varied only on time scales of tens of thousands to millions of years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

According to glacial ice records, the Earth was significantly cooler between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago than it is today.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Variations in the shape of the earth's orbit:

Accepted Answer

A)   have a cycle of about 100,000 years.
B)   are related to changes in sunspot activity on the surface of the Sun.
C)   will eventually lead to the earth having a perfectly circular orbit.
D)   have a cycle of about three million years.

Question 4

The tilt of the earth's axis varies between 22.1 and 28.5 degrees.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

A)   are well understood.
B)   happen on a 22- year cycle.
C)   happen on an 11- year cycle.
D)   have not been clearly linked.

Question 6

Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere as vegetation decays.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

The continents have been in the exact same locations since the earth began.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What term is used to describe the strategy used by scientists who are trying to predict the differing outcomes for a wide range of possible assumptions?

Accepted Answer

A)   varied input
B)   scenarios
C)   altering assumptions
D)   ensemble forecasting

Question 9

CO2 concentrations today are not any higher than they have been during past high points over the last 400,000 years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

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

A)   The Climate Change Consortium.
B)   The Human Induced Climate Change Panel.
C)   The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
D)   The Expert Panel on Climate Change.

Question 11

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

Accepted Answer

A)   burning of coal and petroleum
B)   wetlands and swamps
C)   decaying vegetation
D)   deforestation
E)   cattle

Question 12

We have not yet established the impact of solar variability on the Earth's climate system because:

Accepted Answer

A)   we have no way of measuring solar variability directly.
B)   most scientists now agree that solar output is constant and does not vary.
C)   satellites have not yet been around long enough to provide a data set of adequate length.
D)   it is not a legitimate enough theory to gain much attention from the scientific community.

Question 13

Carbon dioxide is the only greenhouse gas that has displayed increasing concentrations over the last century.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Global warming may cause changes in Earth's albedo.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

It is believed that the temperature rise caused by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide will be greater in the tropics than in the polar regions.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Most experts agree that the process of global warming can be reversed within a few years if there is sufficient global cooperation.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

When did the supercontinent Pangaea exist?

Accepted Answer

A)   during the Pleistocene
B)   during the Paleozoic
C)   during the Holocene
D)   during the Cenozoic

Question 18

List four greenhouse gases.

Accepted Answer

carbon dioxide, meth...

Question 19

Sea floor sediments provide useful climate data because they contain:

Accepted Answer

A)   meteorite debris.
B)   remains of living organisms.
C)   material from Earth's mantle.
D)   evidence of plate tectonics.

Question 20

Since the 1970s, the mean global temperature has risen by about 0.6°C.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 14: The Changing Climate

Carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere as vegetation decays.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Most experts agree that the process of global warming can be reversed within a few years if there is sufficient global cooperation.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Sea floor sediments provide useful climate data because they contain:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What term is used to describe the strategy used by scientists who are trying to predict the differing outcomes for a wide range of possible assumptions?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Global warming may cause changes in Earth's albedo.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Since the 1970s, the mean global temperature has risen by about 0.6°C.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The tilt of the earth's axis varies between 22.1 and 28.5 degrees.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

CO2 concentrations today are not any higher than they have been during past high points over the last 400,000 years.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

List four greenhouse gases.

Correct Answerverifiedcarbon dioxide, meth...View AnswerShow Answer

We have not yet established the impact of solar variability on the Earth's climate system because:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Variations in the shape of the earth's orbit:

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

It is believed that the temperature rise caused by increased atmospheric carbon dioxide will be greater in the tropics than in the polar regions.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Studies of past climates have shown that climate has varied only on time scales of tens of thousands to millions of years.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

When did the supercontinent Pangaea exist?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Carbon dioxide is the only greenhouse gas that has displayed increasing concentrations over the last century.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The continents have been in the exact same locations since the earth began.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

According to glacial ice records, the Earth was significantly cooler between 10,000 and 40,000 years ago than it is today.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

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CO₂concentrations today are not any higher than they have been during past high points over the last 400,000 years.

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carbon dioxide, meth...
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