 |
1 | |
The layer of atmosphere immediately above the earth where weather events occur is called the |
| | A) | troposphere. |
| | B) | ionisphere. |
| | C) | stratosphere. |
| | D) | mesosphere. |
|
|
2 | |
The most plentiful gas in the atmosphere, nearly 80 percent by volume, is |
| | A) | carbon dioxide. |
| | B) | ozone. |
| | C) | nitrogen. |
| | D) | oxygen. |
|
|
3 | |
The pattern of absorbance of solar energy by the atmosphere includes |
| | A) | heavy absorbance of visible light by carbon dioxide. |
| | B) | absorbance of infrared radiation by carbon dioxide and water vapor. |
| | C) | a remarkable uniformity in the proportion of different kinds of wavelengths absorbed by ozone. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
4 | |
The reflectivity patterns of solar energy from earth's surfaces (albedo) include |
| | A) | very low reflectivity off ocean surfaces. |
| | B) | high reflectivity off most rocks and soil. |
| | C) | high reflectivity off snow. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
5 | |
Convection currents |
| | A) | move energy within the atmosphere. |
| | B) | are the main cause of evaporation of water. |
| | C) | are particularly strong ocean currents having substantial effects on coastal weather. |
| | D) | are characterized by all of the above. |
|
|
6 | |
Events important in atmospheric circulation include |
| | A) | rising hot wet air that expands and cools. |
| | B) | condensation of water out of rising air. |
| | C) | cool, dry air sinking toward earth's surface. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
7 | |
The movement of energy from the tropics toward the pole is accomplished principally by all of the following EXCEPT |
| | A) | the movement of water vapor toward the poles. |
| | B) | ocean currents. |
| | C) | the movement of air masses toward the poles. |
| | D) | seasonal changes. |
|
|
8 | |
The storm condition produced by rising air releasing energy through condensation thereby intensifying convection currents is called |
| | A) | a hurricane. |
| | B) | a cyclone. |
| | C) | a typhoon. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
9 | |
A monsoon is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT |
| | A) | oceans heat up at different rates than continents. |
| | B) | oceans cool at the same rates as continents. |
| | C) | prevailing wind directions seasonally reverse. |
| | D) | large bodies of water are a central ingredient. |
|
|
10 | |
Milankovitch cycles include which phenomena? |
| | A) | The earth's orbit around the sun lengthens and shortens over time. |
| | B) | Cold winters in northern Europe and warm winters in northern North America alternate over time. |
| | C) | Strong monsoons in West Africa appear to oscillate with higher frequency of major hurricanes in the Caribbean. |
| | D) | Higher ocean temperatures in the Atlantic and wet years in Africa's Sahel alternate over time. |
|
|
11 | |
Historical evidence suggests that substantive climate change |
| | A) | nearly always has occurred over several million years. |
| | B) | is very new, limited in appearance to the last few centuries. |
| | C) | can happen in as short a period as a few years or decades. |
| | D) | nearly always occurs only during pronounced movement of tectonic plates. |
|
|
12 | |
El Nino/Southern Oscillation involves |
| | A) | the periodic movement of a huge mass of warm Pacific Ocean water. |
| | B) | reversal of prevailing wind direction across the Pacific Ocean. |
| | C) | dramatic changes in weather patterns throughout much of the world. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
13 | |
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is |
| | A) | a group of U.S. government scientists. |
| | B) | an ad hoc group of government environmentalists |
| | C) | a United Nations working group of 2400 scientists around the world. |
| | D) | a group of European meteorologists and earth scientists. |
|
|
14 | |
Periodic patterns in weather cycles appear to be influenced by |
| | A) | changes in the angle of tilt of the earth's axis of rotation. |
| | B) | the periodic wobble in the earth's rotational axis. |
| | C) | changes in earth's orbit around the sun. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
15 | |
The most recent major international study of anthropogenic influence on global climate concluded |
| | A) | temperature changes of less than 5 degrees Celsius would not produce discernable changes in climate. |
| | B) | the current warmup is most likely within the normal range of natural climatic fluctuations. |
| | C) | a human influence on global climate is discernable. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
16 | |
Global carbon dioxide levels are |
| | A) | increasing. |
| | B) | correlated with changes in average global temperatures. |
| | C) | influenced by human activities. |
| | D) | characterized by all of the above. |
|
|
17 | |
Evidence that global temperatures are increasing include |
| | A) | temperature increases at many diverse locations around the world. |
| | B) | erratic weather events occurring around the world. |
| | C) | changes in geographical distributions of a great variety of life. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
18 | |
The IPCC most recently |
| | A) | significantly raised their estimates of average global temperature increase for the next 100 years. |
| | B) | concluded that the risk of global warming has been overstated. |
| | C) | concluded that while earth’s temperatures appear to be rising, the human influence has been greatly overstated. |
| | D) | determined that global warming has run its course and earth’s temperature will now stabilize. |
|
|
19 | |
Of the 15 hottest years ever recorded, ______ of them were in the 1990s. |
| | A) | 10 |
| | B) | 7 |
| | C) | 5 |
| | D) | 2 |
|
|
20 | |
Anticipated effects of global warming include all of these EXCEPT |
| | A) | tropical areas, in particular, will become much warmer. |
| | B) | polar regions will get warmer. |
| | C) | release of additional greenhouse gases will occur in the arctic. |
| | D) | summer temperatures in the central U.S. will rise appreciably. |
|
|
21 | |
Carbon dioxide is a major factor in the global warming story since it |
| | A) | creates its own heat through a poorly understood reaction. |
| | B) | releases energy as a result of molecular decay. |
| | C) | absorbs more ultraviolet radiation than it emits |
| | D) | is present in the atmosphere in incredibly large quantity. |
|
|
22 | |
The nation producing the greatest amount of carbon dioxide in total and per person is |
| | A) | China. |
| | B) | Japan. |
| | C) | the U.S. |
| | D) | Germany. |
|
|
23 | |
In response to the goal to reduce CO2 production to 1990 levels by 2012, by 2000 the U.S. had _____ while the United Kingdom had ______. |
| | A) | cut production by 10 percent, cut production by 10 percent |
| | B) | increased production by 30 percent, cut production to 1990 levels |
| | C) | not changed production rate, not changed production rate |
|
|
24 | |
Actions individuals can take to lower net CO2 emissions include |
| | A) | planting trees. |
| | B) | replacing old energy inefficient appliances with new efficient ones. |
| | C) | using high gas mileage as a required feature in auto purchases. |
| | D) | all of the above. |
|
|
25 | |
Climate and weather are actually words for the same thing. |
| | A) | True |
| | B) | False |
|
|
26 | |
The composition of the atmosphere has changed significantly over earth's history. |
| | A) | True |
| | B) | False |
|
|
27 | |
Increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide resulting from human activities appear to be producing climatic warming. |
| | A) | True |
| | B) | False |
|
|
28 | |
The transfer of energy from low latitudes to high latitudes is a significant cause of climate patterns. |
| | A) | True |
| | B) | False |
|
|
29 | |
The study of weather is called meteorology. |
| | A) | True |
| | B) | False |
|
|
30 | |
Current trends of melting and disappearance of essentially all the mountain glaciers of the western U.S. will significantly reduce water supplies for humans in those areas. |
| | A) | True |
| | B) | False |
|
2003 McGraw-Hill Higher Education