1) List and define the five components of Earth’s climate system.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.1 What Comprises Earth’s Climate System?
Essent’l Concept: 16.1 Specify the components of Earth’s climate system
OSLP: 3 The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.
2) Discuss the sources of information used by scientists to reconstruct climatic data prior to the
era of modern climate records.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.2 Earth’s Recent Climate Change: Is It Natural or Caused by Human Influence?
Essent’l Concept: 16.2 Examine the evidence that shows how Earth’s recent climate change is
caused by human activities, not a natural cycle
3) Describe the role of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.2 Earth’s Recent Climate Change: Is It Natural or Caused by Human Influence?
Essent’l Concept: 16.2 Examine the evidence that shows how Earth’s recent climate change is
caused by human activities, not a natural cycle
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4) Briefly discuss the human-caused greenhouse gases in terms of their relative concentrations in
the atmosphere and their relative contributions to global warming.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.3 What Causes the Atmosphere’s Greenhouse Effect?
Essent’l Concept: 16.3 Demonstrate an understanding of how the atmosphere’s greenhouse effect
works
OSLP: 6 The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.
5) Briefly describe some of the changes that are already occurring in the oceans because of
global warming.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.4 What Changes Are Occurring in the Oceans as a Result of Global Warming?
Essent’l Concept: 16.4 Specify the changes that are occurring in the oceans as a result of global
warming
6) What is the difference between weather and climate? For example, if it rains in a particular
location during the day, does that mean that the area has a wet climate? Explain.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.1 What Comprises Earth’s Climate System?
Essent’l Concept: 16.1 Specify the components of Earth’s climate system
42
7) Discuss the idea that present day climate changes are part of a larger natural atmospheric
cycle.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
Section: 16.2 Earth’s Recent Climate Change: Is It Natural or Caused by Human Influence?
Essent’l Concept: 16.2 Examine the evidence that shows how Earth’s recent climate change is
caused by human activities, not a natural cycle
8) Explain the processes currently responsible for worldwide sea level rise. How will these
changes in sea level affect coastal nations?
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.4 What Changes Are Occurring in the Oceans as a Result of Global Warming?
Essent’l Concept: 16.4 Specify the changes that are occurring in the oceans as a result of global
warming
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9) Briefly describe the observed changes in the world’s oceans as a function of increased mean
atmospheric temperature.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.4 What Changes Are Occurring in the Oceans as a Result of Global Warming?
Essent’l Concept: 16.4 Specify the changes that are occurring in the oceans as a result of global
warming
10) What is the Kyoto Protocol? How has this accord impacted worldwide policies regarding
greenhouse gas emissions?
Answer: A number of international conferences have resulted in an agreement to voluntarily
limit greenhouse gas emissions. This agreement, which is called the Kyoto Protocol (because it
was created at an international conference held in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan), sets target reductions
for each country. For example, the treaty states that industrialized countries (such as the United
States, which constitutes only about 5% of world population but is responsible for about 16% of
worldwide carbon dioxide emissions) must reduce their collective emission of six greenhouse
gases by at least 5% by 2012 compared to 1990 levels. Even though 2012 has passed and
reductions were not met, the treaty has been extended for another five to eight years to encourage
compliance. Not all countries are in agreement with the treaty’s goals. For example, 122 nations
(representing 44% of the total worldwide carbon dioxide emissions) ratified the treaty, but the
US government never formally agreed to the protocol, citing potential harm to the world
economy. Further, the United States has lagged behind other countries in establishing emission
reductions of greenhouse gases. But the United States is not alone: In 2011, Canada became the
first country to withdraw from the Kyoto Protocol.
Diff: 2
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Remembering/Understanding
Section: 16.5 What Should Be Done to Reduce Greenhouse Gases?
Essent’l Concept: 16.5 Evaluate options for what should be done to reduce greenhouse gases
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Copyright © 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
16.4 Visual Questions
1)
Which of the following statements best describes the correlation between the 11 year average of
Temperature and Total Solar Irradiance for the past several decades?
A) Temperature has decreased as Total Solar Irradiance has decreased
B) Temperature has decreased as Total Solar Irradiance has increased
C) Temperature has increased as Total Solar Irradiance has decreased
D) Temperature has increased as Total Solar Irradiance has increased
E) Temperature and Total Solar Irradiance show no correlation
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
Section: 16.2 Earth’s Recent Climate Change: Is It Natural or Caused by Human Influence?
Essent’l Concept: 16.2 Examine the evidence that shows how Earth’s recent climate change is
caused by human activities, not a natural cycle
OSLP: 3 The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.; 6 The ocean and humans are
inextricably interconnected.
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2)
Based on the graph of surface air temperature versus time, when did the rate of warming begin to
increase dramatically?
A) 1920
B) 1940
C) 1960
D) 1980
E) 2000
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
Section: 16.3 What Causes the Atmosphere’s Greenhouse Effect?
Essent’l Concept: 16.3 Demonstrate an understanding of how the atmosphere’s greenhouse effect
works
OSLP: 6 The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.
46
3)
Based on the graph of surface air temperature versus time, what do the peaks and troughs
indicate?
A) Natural variability of climate
B) Human caused global warming
C) Human caused global cooling
D) Differences between day and night
E) Differences between the poles and equator
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Applying/Analyzing
Section: 16.3 What Causes the Atmosphere’s Greenhouse Effect?
Essent’l Concept: 16.3 Demonstrate an understanding of how the atmosphere’s greenhouse effect
works
OSLP: 6 The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.
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