3/19/14

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 48 (see below). Please review your notes on climate change as there will be a small assessment tomorrow in class.

Assignment 48 Climate Change Comprehension Questions

Answer all of the questions to the best of your ability. Use complete sentences for question #9.

1. Which of the following activities causes a cooling of Earth?

A. Volcanic eruptions                                                           D. Combustion of fossil fuels

B. Emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gases               E. Deforestation

C. Evaporation of water vapor

2. In regard to the greenhouse effect, which statement is not true?

A. Ultraviolet and visible radiation are converted to infrared radiation at the surface of Earth.

B. Approximately one-third of the radiation of the Sun does not enter the atmosphere of Earth.

C. Infrared radiation is absorbed by greenhouse gases.

D. Greenhouse gases were not historically present in the atmosphere.

E. Ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by ozone.

3. Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?

A. Carbon dioxide                                                                 D. Nitrous oxide

B. Water vapor                                                                     E. Nitrogen

C. Methane

4. Of the following factors, which ones are important when considering the effect of a greenhouse gas on global warming?

I. How much infrared radiation the gas can absorb

II. How long the gas remains in the atmosphere

III. The concentration of the gas in the atmosphere

A. I                                                                                        D. II and III

B. I and II                                                                              E. I, II, and III

C. I and III

5. Which greenhouse gas is not correctly paired with one of its sources?

A. Nitrous oxide: landfills                                                        D. Nitrous oxide: automobiles

B. Methane: termites                                                              E. CO₂: deforestation

C. Water vapor: evaporation

6. Which statement about global warming is true?

A. The planet is not warming.

B. The planet is warming, but humans have not played a role.

C. The planet has had many periods of warming and cooling in the past.

D. Greenhouse gases compose only a small fraction of the atmosphere, so they cannot be important in causing global warming.

E. Such small increases in average global temperatures could not cause any important effects on polar bears.

7. Which sources of data have been used to assess changes in global CO₂ and temperature?

I. Air bubbles in ice cores from glaciers

II. Thermometers placed around the globe

III. CO₂ sensors placed around the globe

A. I                                                                                           D. II and III

B. I and II                                                                                 E. I, II, and III

C. I and III

8. Which predicted consequence of global warming has not yet occurred?

A. Melting ice caps                 D. Drastic changes to the currents and circulation of the ocean

B. Rising sea levels                  E. Altered breeding times and flowering times of animals and plants

C. Melting permafrost

9. During a debate on climate change legislation in 2009, a U.S. congressman declared that human- induced global warming is a "hoax" and that "there is no scientific consensus."

a. If you were a member of Congress, what points might you raise in the debate to demonstrate that global warming is real?

b. What points might you raise to demonstrate that global warming has been influenced by humans?

c. What are some human health and economic effects that could occur because of global warming?