Question 1

Climate change is defined as

Accepted Answer

A) a shift in the upper level flow. 
B) a change in how observations are made. 
C) noting changes in meteorological statistical values over time. 
D) measuring the change in sea level. 
A) a shift in the upper level flow. 
B) a change in how observations are made. 
C) noting changes in meteorological statistical values over time. 
D) measuring the change in sea level.

Question 2

This is NOT a climate boundary condition.

Accepted Answer

A) composition of the atmosphere 
B) amount of sunlight reaching the top of Earth's atmosphere 
C) arrangement and size of the oceans 
D) the value of the heat capacity of water 
A) composition of the atmosphere 
B) amount of sunlight reaching the top of Earth's atmosphere 
C) arrangement and size of the oceans 
D) the value of the heat capacity of water

Question 3

The shape of millennial oscillations is

Accepted Answer

A) peaked. 
B) sinusoidal. 
C) indeterminate. 
D) square-like. 
A) peaked. 
B) sinusoidal. 
C) indeterminate. 
D) square-like.

Question 4

Carbon dioxide

Accepted Answer

A) is a noble gas. 
B) is a solid that contributes very little to atmospheric and climatic change. 
C) is a greenhouse gas that may hold the key to important climatic changes. 
D) has become so thick that certain insects can no longer fly but are forced to crawl. 
A) is a noble gas. 
B) is a solid that contributes very little to atmospheric and climatic change. 
C) is a greenhouse gas that may hold the key to important climatic changes. 
D) has become so thick that certain insects can no longer fly but are forced to crawl.

Question 5

One of the chief issues with climate change is that

Accepted Answer

A) climate can change on more than one scale. 
B) there is not enough data available to build a reliable climate. 
C) climate change is spatially consistent. 
D) data are too sparse to develop climatic trends. 
A) climate can change on more than one scale. 
B) there is not enough data available to build a reliable climate. 
C) climate change is spatially consistent. 
D) data are too sparse to develop climatic trends.

Question 6

Large-scale human impacts on the climate may have started how long ago?

Accepted Answer

A) only 200 years ago 
B) 2,000 years ago 
C) 8,000 years ago 
D) 100,000 years ago 
A) only 200 years ago 
B) 2,000 years ago 
C) 8,000 years ago 
D) 100,000 years ago

Question 7

According to general circulation models,

Accepted Answer

A) none of the observed warming in the last century was caused by human activity. 
B) all of the observed warming in the last century was caused by human activity. 
C) some of the observed warming in the last century was caused by human activity. 
A) none of the observed warming in the last century was caused by human activity. 
B) all of the observed warming in the last century was caused by human activity. 
C) some of the observed warming in the last century was caused by human activity.

Question 8

Thick clouds strongly reflect solar radiation.This

Accepted Answer

A) promotes warming. 
B) promotes cooling. 
C) is a strong positive feedback. 
D) is not a feedback mechanism. 
A) promotes warming. 
B) promotes cooling. 
C) is a strong positive feedback. 
D) is not a feedback mechanism.

Question 9

How can ice-albedo feedback affect climate?

Accepted Answer

Much of Earth's surface is occupied by l

Question 10

Clouds absorb upwelling longwave radiation,and themselves radiate as a nearly perfect blackbody down to the surface.This

Accepted Answer

A) promotes warming. 
B) promotes cooling. 
C) is a strong negative feedback. 
D) is not a feedback mechanism. 
A) promotes warming. 
B) promotes cooling. 
C) is a strong negative feedback. 
D) is not a feedback mechanism.

Question 11

As the temperature increases the water vapor concentration also increases.This leads to further warming because

Accepted Answer

A) water vapor is a greenhouse gas. 
B) more clouds form in humid environments. 
C) water vapor has a lower albedo. 
D) the relative humidity remains steady. 
A) water vapor is a greenhouse gas. 
B) more clouds form in humid environments. 
C) water vapor has a lower albedo. 
D) the relative humidity remains steady.

Question 12

This data record from ice cores shows

Accepted Answer

A) increased temperatures have frequently been associated with elevated methane and carbon dioxide concentrations. 
B) lower temperatures have frequently been associated with elevated methane and carbon dioxide concentrations. 
C) increased temperatures have frequently been associated with reduced methane and carbon dioxide concentrations. 
A) increased temperatures have frequently been associated with elevated methane and carbon dioxide concentrations. 
B) lower temperatures have frequently been associated with elevated methane and carbon dioxide concentrations. 
C) increased temperatures have frequently been associated with reduced methane and carbon dioxide concentrations.

Question 13

Describe three methods used to study past climates.

Accepted Answer

Ocean deposits: Scientists extract cores

Question 14

List the two main sources of anthropogenic carbon dioxide production.

Accepted Answer

Since the middle of the 19th century,the

Question 15

A warming climate is expected to ________ the area affected by wildfires.

Accepted Answer

A) increase 
B) decrease 
C) have no effect on 
A) increase 
B) decrease 
C) have no effect on

Question 16

The current ice age

Accepted Answer

A) began around 38-55MYA. 
B) began during the Pleistocene. 
C) came about rapidly. 
D) had a uniform drop in temperature. 
A) began around 38-55MYA. 
B) began during the Pleistocene. 
C) came about rapidly. 
D) had a uniform drop in temperature.

Question 17

Explain how aerosols in the troposphere and stratosphere affect global temperature.

Accepted Answer

Aerosols directly affect the transmissio

Question 18

A period of minimal sunspot activity between 1645 and 1715 is known as

Accepted Answer

A) the quasi-biennial oscillation. 
B) the Maunder Minimum. 
C) eccentricity. 
D) a millennial-scale oscillation. 
A) the quasi-biennial oscillation. 
B) the Maunder Minimum. 
C) eccentricity. 
D) a millennial-scale oscillation.

Question 19

During the last glacial maximum

Accepted Answer

A) most ice was stored in Eurasia and North America first. 
B) sheets of ice did not exceed about 800 meters in thickness. 
C) there was a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska. 
D) the main sector of glaciation did not extend more than 100 kilometers south of the present U.S.-Canadian border. 
A) most ice was stored in Eurasia and North America first. 
B) sheets of ice did not exceed about 800 meters in thickness. 
C) there was a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska. 
D) the main sector of glaciation did not extend more than 100 kilometers south of the present U.S.-Canadian border.

Question 20

How is it possible to reconstruct past climates when no records were available?

Accepted Answer

Past climatic conditions leave

Climate change is defined as

This is NOT a climate boundary condition.

The shape of millennial oscillations is

Carbon dioxide

One of the chief issues with climate change is that

Large-scale human impacts on the climate may have started how long ago?

According to general circulation models,

Thick clouds strongly reflect solar radiation.This

How can ice-albedo feedback affect climate?

Clouds absorb upwelling longwave radiation,and themselves radiate as a nearly perfect blackbody down to the surface.This

As the temperature increases the water vapor concentration also increases.This leads to further warming because

This data record from ice cores shows

Describe three methods used to study past climates.

List the two main sources of anthropogenic carbon dioxide production.

A warming climate is expected to ________ the area affected by wildfires.

The current ice age

Explain how aerosols in the troposphere and stratosphere affect global temperature.

A period of minimal sunspot activity between 1645 and 1715 is known as

During the last glacial maximum

How is it possible to reconstruct past climates when no records were available?

Energy and Mass

Solar Radiation and the Seasons

Energy Balance and Temperature

Atmospheric Pressure and Wind

Atmospheric Moisture

Cloud Development and Forms

Precipitation Processes

Atmospheric Circulation and Pressure Distributions

Air Masses and Fronts

Midlatitude Cyclones

Lightning, thunder, and Tornadoes

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes

Weather Forecasting and Analysis

Human Effects on the Atmosphere

Earths Climates

Atmospheric Optics Online Only in Masteringmeteorology

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Exam 16: Climate Changes: Past and Future

Climate change is defined as

This is NOT a climate boundary condition.

The shape of millennial oscillations is

Carbon dioxide

One of the chief issues with climate change is that

Large-scale human impacts on the climate may have started how long ago?

According to general circulation models,

Thick clouds strongly reflect solar radiation.This

How can ice-albedo feedback affect climate?

Clouds absorb upwelling longwave radiation,and themselves radiate as a nearly perfect blackbody down to the surface.This

As the temperature increases the water vapor concentration also increases.This leads to further warming because

This data record from ice cores shows

Describe three methods used to study past climates.

List the two main sources of anthropogenic carbon dioxide production.

A warming climate is expected to ________ the area affected by wildfires.

The current ice age

Explain how aerosols in the troposphere and stratosphere affect global temperature.

A period of minimal sunspot activity between 1645 and 1715 is known as

During the last glacial maximum

How is it possible to reconstruct past climates when no records were available?

Energy and Mass

Solar Radiation and the Seasons

Energy Balance and Temperature

Atmospheric Pressure and Wind

Atmospheric Moisture

Cloud Development and Forms

Precipitation Processes

Atmospheric Circulation and Pressure Distributions

Air Masses and Fronts

Midlatitude Cyclones

Lightning, thunder, and Tornadoes

Tropical Storms and Hurricanes

Weather Forecasting and Analysis

Human Effects on the Atmosphere

Earths Climates

Atmospheric Optics Online Only in Masteringmeteorology

Filters