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| 1 | |
Of the following gases, those that are greenhouse gases |
| | A) | oxygen and nitrogen |
| | B) | argon and helium |
| | C) | carbon monoxide and oxygen |
| | D) | carbon dioxide and water vapor |
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| 2 | |
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere |
| | A) | trap outgoing heat radiated by Earth's surface |
| | B) | prevent sunlight from reaching Earth's surface |
| | C) | have decreased over the past fifty years |
| | D) | all of these are true |
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| 3 | |
Earth receives this much thermal infrared radiation (heat) directly from the sun |
| | A) | 10 Btu per square meter |
| | B) | 10 Btu per square kilometer |
| | C) | 10 Btu per square centimeter |
| | D) | Earth receives practically no thermal infrared energy from the sun. |
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| 4 | |
This happens to visible light reaching Earth from the sun |
| | A) | 80% is reflected back into space |
| | B) | 20% is absorbed by ozone |
| | C) | it is absorbed by Earth's surface and radiated into the atmosphere as heat |
| | D) | 20% is converted to ultraviolet energy |
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| 5 | |
Glacial advance occurs when |
| | A) | ablation exceeds accumulation |
| | B) | ablation is exceeded by accumulation |
| | C) | ablation is precisely balanced by accumulation |
| | D) | Earth's magnetic polarity reverses |
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| 6 | |
Glacial advance |
| | A) | Causes Earth's albedo to increase |
| | B) | Causes Earth's albedo to decrease |
| | C) | Causes global sea level rise |
| | D) | both b and c are correct. |
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| 7 | |
Sea level rise resulting in increased sea surface area will result in increased evaporation that will offset sea level rise. Assuming this is true, this is an example of |
| | A) | a positive feedback mechanism |
| | B) | a negative feedback mechanism |
| | C) | neutral feedback |
| | D) | atypical feedback |
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| 8 | |
England is farther north in latitude than Ottawa, Canada, yet Ottawa is extremely cold during winter, whereas snowfall is rare in England. Why? |
| | A) | England is affected by storms originating out of Africa's rain forest |
| | B) | Ottawa is on the shores of Hudson Bay |
| | C) | England benefits from warmer Atlantic ocean water due to the Gulf Stream |
| | D) | Both a and b are factors. |
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| 9 | |
Ocean currents that are influenced by both temperature and salinity are called |
| | A) | Thermohaline currents |
| | B) | Equatorial currents |
| | C) | Polar ascending currents |
| | D) | Polar descending currents |
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| 10 | |
Seattle, Washington and Boston, Massachusetts are almost at the same latitude. Both Seattle and Boston are seaports. Both are adjacent to segments of oceans influenced by warm water currents. Yet, Seattle rarely receives snow in winter whereas snowfall is common in Boston during winter. Why? |
| | A) | Storms in the northern hemisphere move from west to east, so both Seattle and Boston receive storms from their west. |
| | B) | Storms moving from the Pacific to Seattle are warmed by the relatively warm Pacific Ocean. |
| | C) | Storms approaching Boston from the west draw cold air down from Canada. |
| | D) | all of these are factors. |
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| 11 | |
Should the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean be interrupted, |
| | A) | the Atlantic coast of North America will become warmer |
| | B) | England will become substantially warmer |
| | C) | England will become substantially colder |
| | D) | Canada will become substantially warmer |
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| 12 | |
Anthropogenic global warming is that warming which is attributed to |
| | A) | changes in solar energy |
| | B) | human activity |
| | C) | animal husbandry |
| | D) | plate tectonic activity |
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| 13 | |
Anthropogenic influences are blamed for |
| | A) | an increase in carbon dioxide since the Industrial Revolution began |
| | B) | an increase in carbon dioxide due to increased volcanism |
| | C) | an increase in atmospheric methane from farm animals |
| | D) | an increase in temperature due to an increase in solar intensity. |
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| 14 | |
Glaciers are, at present (2007), advancing here |
| | A) | nowhere; global warming means glaciers are retreating everywhere |
| | B) | everywhere; global warming has increased water vapor causing heavier snowfalls |
| | C) | in the northern hemisphere only |
| | D) | in New Zealand's Southern Alps |
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| 15 | |
The rapidly melting Arctic Ice Cap threatens these |
| | A) | the Arctic Fox |
| | B) | the Polar Bear |
| | C) | the Snow Leopard |
| | D) | the Harbor Seal |
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| 16 | |
A possible explanation for glacial retreat other than global warming is |
| | A) | there is no other explanation |
| | B) | accumulation is exceeding ablation |
| | C) | accumulation and ablation are equal |
| | D) | the Earth is still recovering from the last Ice Age. |
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| 17 | |
The correct description for the current global climate is: |
| | A) | interglacial |
| | B) | glacial |
| | C) | catastrophic |
| | D) | stagnate |
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| 18 | |
Each of the following can cause global climate change except: |
| | A) | changes in solar intensity |
| | B) | a reversal of Earth's magnetic polarity |
| | C) | changes in plate tectonic activity |
| | D) | changes in Earth's large, continuous thermohaline circulation. |
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| 19 | |
Of the following, one that is true |
| | A) | the number of hurricanes is increasing each year |
| | B) | the number of tornadoes is increasing each year |
| | C) | the intensity of hurricanes is increasing each year |
| | D) | hurricanes are steadily moving northward each year |
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| 20 | |
Major volcanic eruptions |
| | A) | influence Earth's climate for several thousand years |
| | B) | influence Earth's climate for several centuries |
| | C) | influence Earth's climate for several decades |
| | D) | influence Earth's climate for several years |
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| 21 | |
El Nino |
| | A) | is a phenomenon associated with warmer surface water in the eastern Pacific |
| | B) | is a phenomenon associated with colder surface water in the eastern Pacific |
| | C) | is a relatively recent phenomenon that is attributed to global warming |
| | D) | is a relatively recent phenomenon that is attributed to global cooling. |
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| 22 | |
La Nina |
| | A) | is a phenomenon associated with warmer surface water in the eastern Pacific |
| | B) | is a phenomenon associated with colder surface water in the eastern Pacific |
| | C) | is a relatively recent phenomenon that is attributed to global warming |
| | D) | is a relatively recent phenomenon that is attributed to global cooling. |
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| 23 | |
Global warming |
| | A) | will have an uncertain impact on local precipitation amount |
| | B) | will increase precipitation amounts everywhere worldwide |
| | C) | will decrease precipitation amounts everywhere worldwide |
| | D) | is not expected to have any influence on precipitation amount |
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| 24 | |
Rising sea levels due to global warming will |
| | A) | decrease shoreline erosion |
| | B) | lower the base level for streams emptying into the sea |
| | C) | increase shoreline erosion |
| | D) | decrease floods on streams emptying into the sea. |
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| 25 | |
Sea level rise attributed to global warming is due to melting ice and |
| | A) | ground water losses due to increased evaporation |
| | B) | higher stream flow in rivers emptying into the sea |
| | C) | increased salinity of sea water |
| | D) | thermal expansion of sea water |
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