Multiple Choice Section -- 2 points each
1.
Which
of the following climate changes will likely have the most impact on the plants
and animals living in a particular ecosystem?
(a)
Increase
in the average surface temperature of 2° F, but no increase in the
number of days per year that get hotter than 100° F.
(b)
No
increase in the average surface temperature, but a 10% increase in the number
of days per year that get hotter than 100° F.
2.
On
April 16, 2006, over 30 record high temperatures for the day were set across
the United States. Is this fact a good
argument that global warming is continuing to get worse?
(a)
Yes (b) No
3.
For
today, April 27, the solar declination is ___________________ ?
(a)
at
the equator
(b)
between
the equator and the tropic of Cancer (23.5° North latitude)
(c)
between
the equator and the tropic of Capricorn (23.5° South latitude)
(d)
at
the North Pole
4.
For
today, April 27, which of the following locations will have the greatest number
of daylight hours?
(a)
Perth,
Australia (32˚ South latitude)
(b)
Tucson,
Arizona (32˚ North latitude)
(c)
Fairbanks,
Alaska (65˚ North latitude)
(d)
Galapagos
Islands (0˚ latitude, Equator)
5.
On
the fall equinox, what is the solar angle at noon in Tucson (32° North latitude)?
(a)
8.5° south of straight up
(b)
8.5° north of straight up
(c)
32° south of straight up
(d)
32° north of straight up
6.
Wichita,
Kansas and San Francisco, California are both located at 37.6° north latitude. Wichita is located near the middle of the North American
continent, while San Francisco is located on the Pacific Ocean coast. For January, the average high temperatures
of the two cities are 56° F and 40° F.
For July, the average high temperatures are 93° F and 72° F. Which average high temperatures are associated
with Wichita?
(a)
Wichita,
January average high 56° F and July average high 93° F
(b)
Wichita,
January average high 56° F and July average high 72° F
(c)
Wichita,
January average high 40° F and July average high 93° F
(d)
Wichita,
January average high 40° F and July average high 93° F
7. Materials with a high specific heat (like water) will _________ than materials with a low specific heat.
(a) warm and cool more quickly (c) warm more quickly, but cool more slowly
(b) warm and cool more slowly (d) warm more slowly, but cool more quickly
The
weather forecast for a winter morning in Tucson calls for calm winds, clear
skies, a dew point temperature of 10° F, and a low temperature of
30° F.
8.
Suppose
instead clear skies, it becomes cloudy overnight. How will this likely affect the morning low temperature?
(a)
The
low temperature is more likely to be warmer than 30° F.
(b)
The
low temperature is more likely to be colder than 30° F.
9.
Suppose
that the overnight dew point temperature is actually 0° F instead of 10° F.
How will this likely affect the morning low temperature?
(a)
The
low temperature is more likely to be warmer than 30° F.
(b)
The
low temperature is more likely to be colder than 30° F.
10.
The
reason that the Sun emits most of its radiation energy in the form of visible
radiation is because __________ .
(a)
of
its temperature (b) it is a
dense mixture of gases (c) it is a
star
11.
Which
of the following is true?
(a)
Your
body is continuously emitting infrared radiation.
(b)
Your
skin effectively holds in radiation to keep you warm.
12.
On
most days Picacho Peak is visible from Tucson.
On hazy days, though, it cannot be seen. The haze is caused by ________ .
(a)
greenhouse
gases emitting radiation into your eyes as you look toward Picacho Peak
(b)
clouds
reflecting sunlight into your eyes as you look toward Picacho Peak
(c)
aerosols
scattering sunlight into your eyes as you look toward Picacho Peak
(d)
all
of the above
13.
Radiation
energy emitted by the Sun enters the planet Earth at the top of the
atmosphere. Approximately what
percentage of this energy from the Sun is reflected back to space?
(a)
30% (b) 50% (c) 70%
14.
Which
two gases are the greatest contributors to the greenhouse effect on Earth?
(a)
carbon
dioxide and methane
(b)
carbon
dioxide and ozone
(c)
carbon
dioxide and CFCs
(d)
carbon
dioxide and water vapor
15.
On
a percentage basis, the largest increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere took place between _________ .
(a)
1900
and 1925 (b) 1925 and 1950 (c) 1950 and 1975 (d) 1975 and 2000
16.
Why
did most countries of the world agree to stop producing CFCs and begin using
substitute chemicals?
(a)
Because
of concerns about stratospheric ozone depletion
(b)
Because
of concerns about global warming
(c)
Both
(a) and (b)
17.
Compared
to 100 years ago, today the world’s oceans ________________ .
(a)
take
in more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
(b)
take
in less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
(c)
take
in about the same amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
18.
With
regard to the carbon cycle, respiration and decay are ______ for carbon stored
in the land biota and soils.
(a)
sources (b) sinks (c) neither sources nor
sinks
19.
The
problem of the “missing carbon dioxide sink” is best described by which of the
following statements?
(a)
There
is more CO2 in the atmosphere than expected.
(b)
There
is less CO2 in the atmosphere than expected.
(c)
The
reserves of fossil fuels are greater than expected.
(d)
The
reserves of fossil fuels are less than expected.
Climate
models are often used to predict how much warmer the Earth’s surface
temperature would be if the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were
increased to twice what is was in 1850.
Most models predict a warmer surface.
However, most of the warming is not directly caused by the increased
carbon dioxide, but rather by a (20) feedback mechanism involving (21)
.
20.
(a)
positive (b)
negative
21.
(a)
snow/ice melting (c)
increases in water vapor (b) plant fertilization (d) decreases in cloud cover
22. As global temperatures warm, sea level is expected to rise for several reasons. Which of the following is NOT a valid explanation for sea level rise?
(a)
Expected
melting of glaciers on the continent of Antarctica
(b)
Expected
melting of mountain glaciers
(c)
Expected
increases in precipitation
(d)
Thermal
expansion of sea water
23.
Large
areas of permafrost soils are located in Northern Canada and Siberia. These soils contain large amounts of stored
methane. When permafrost soils melt,
much of the stored methane will be released into the atmosphere.
Consider the following sequence of events:
·
Humans
add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels
·
Surface
temperatures warm
·
Permafrost
soils melt, releasing large quantities of methane into the atmosphere.
With respect to global warming, the above sequence
of events is a ___________.
(a)
Negative
feedback process
(b)
Positive
feedback process
24.
Most
climate models predict that by the year 2100, the Earth’s global average
temperature will increase somewhere in the range of _________ .
(a)
(1
– 4)° C (c)
(10 – 15)° C
(b) (6 - 10)° C (d) (40 - 50)° C
25.
Even
during this recent period of global average warming, some localized regions of
the Earth have experienced a cooling trend over the last 100 years.
(a)
True (b) False
26.
There
has been a measurable rise in global average temperature since 1900. Which of the following statements is most
generally correct?
(a)
Daytime
high temperatures have increased more than nighttime low temperatures.
(b)
Nighttime
low temperatures have increased more than daytime high temperatures.
(c)
Daytime
high temperatures and nighttime low temperatures have both increased by about
the same amount.
27.
Climate
change has occurred throughout Earth’s history. However, due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the
global average temperature today is higher than at any other time in Earth’s
history.
(a)
True (b) False
28.
Global
average surface temperatures from 1990 through today are warmer than at any
other time since 1860. This statement
is _______________ .
(a)
almost
certainly true
(b)
believed
to be true by many people, but it is difficult to back up with evidence
(c)
not
true; It is a scare tactic used by those who warn about the evils of modern
society.
29.
According
to most climate models, the recent warming (over the last 100 years) is largely
caused by increased amounts of greenhouse gases due to human activity, rather
than part of a natural climate fluctuation.
(a)
True (b) False
30.
Since
1860, the global average surface temperature ____________________ .
(a)
has
risen steadily to be about 0.8˚ C warmer today
(b)
has
fluctuated up and down, but overall is about 0.8˚ C warmer today
(c)
has
fluctuated up and down, but overall is about the same today
(d)
has
declined steadily to be about 0.8˚ C cooler today
31.
All
of the climate changes listed below have been observed over the past
century, EXCEPT which one.
(a)
Sea
level has risen between 4 and 10 inches
(b)
The
number of hurricanes worldwide has increased
(c)
Northern
Hemisphere snow cover has decreased
(d)
The
Northern Hemisphere growing season at high latitudes has lengthened
32.
Which
association is INCORRECT?
(a)
The
Younger-Dryas shows that large fluctuations in climate can occur over short
time periods (less than 100 years).
(b)
During
the Medieval warm period, Vikings established agricultural colonies on
Greenland.
(c)
The
Little Ice Age was just as cold as the last true ice age that ended about
15,000 years ago, but only lasted a few decades.
(d)
During
the Holocene maximum, north Africa probably received much more rainfall and the
Nile River carried much more water than today.
33.
Consider
the following:
·
1st
OBSERVATION: since 1860, the 12 warmest
years in terms of global average temperature have occurred since 1990.
·
2nd
OBSERVATION: greenhouse gas
concentrations are higher today than at any time since 1860, mainly due to
fossil fuel burning and deforestation
·
CONCLUSION: the above observations show that the warm
conditions since 1990 have been totally caused by our emissions of greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere.
Which is the BEST interpretation of the above?
(a)
The
first observation is incorrect, therefore the conclusion is flawed
(b)
The
second observation is incorrect, therefore the conclusion is flawed
(c)
Both
observations are correct, but the conclusion cannot be proven at this time
(d)
Both
observations are correct and therefore the conclusion is correct
Section II -- Short Answer Questions – 6 points each
For each numbered question
1-4, answer either (a) or (b)
1.
Select
either (a) or (b).
(a)
Why are there seasons on Earth? During the
yearly seasonal cycle, the amount of solar radiation energy that strikes a
given location on Earth changes each day.
List the two factors that determine the amount of solar radiation
received at a given location on a given day of the year. (NOTE:
The answer is not latitude; seasonal changes in these two factors are
observed at all latitudes).
(b)
In
Tucson, the average high temperature on the spring equinox is 74° F, while the average high temperature on the
fall equinox is 93° F. Explain why the average high temperature
is so much warmer on the fall equinox compared to the spring equinox. In your answer, make sure to compare and
contrast the solar heating in Tucson on these two days.
2.
Select
either (a) or (b).
(a)
How come you cannot see stars during the day (except of course for our
Sun)? Make sure that you explain what
you do see when you look up at the sky away from the direction of the Sun.
(b)
You
are outside at sunset. There are no
clouds blocking the sun, but there are a few puffy clouds overhead. Explain why these clouds may appear red
by describing what happens to the light on its journey from the sun to your
eyes.
3.
Select
either (a) or (b).
(a)
The
daily temperature spread is defined as the difference between the high
temperature and the low temperature. Compared
with most cities, does Tucson have a large daily temperature spread or a small
daily temperature spread? Give three
reasons why and provide a brief explanation for each. Does San Diego have a large or small daily temperature
spread? What is the single biggest
reason? No explanation required for
your last answer.
(b)
As
part of the carbon cycle, the ocean surface waters contain a reservoir of
carbon in the form of dissolved carbon dioxide. Carbon is exchanged between the atmosphere and the ocean surface
waters. The amount of dissolved carbon
dioxide that the ocean waters will hold depends on two variables as follows:
(a) the higher the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the more
carbon dioxide that will be dissolved in the ocean and (b) the higher the
temperature of the ocean water, the less carbon dioxide that will be dissolved
in the ocean. Briefly explain
whether the processes (a) and (b) described above will be positive or negative
feedbacks with respect to possible global warming caused by human burning of
fossil fuel?
4.
Select
either (a) or (b).
(a)
An
environmental group has recently proposed that the world set a goal to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions back down to what they were in 1990 by the year
2010. For example, this means that in
2010, humans will be responsible for adding the same amount of CO2
to the atmosphere as we added in the year 1990. A spokesperson for the group said that if this goal is met we
will begin to see
§
A
reduction in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere by 2050, AND
§
A
downward trend in global average temperature by 2050.
Explain why both of the spokesperson’s projections
for 2050 are seriously flawed.
(b)
What is the difference between the “hockey stick” reconstruction of
global average temperature over the last 1000 years with the one shown below
which was given to you as part of a handout in class? How might the differences between these two temperature
reconstructions influence how someone views the present warming trend in global
average temperatures?