56)
Which of the following gases accounts for the largest amount of radiative forcing?
A) carbon dioxide (CO2)
B) nitrous oxides (N2O)
C) chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
D) methane (CH4)
57) The world’s largest reserve of carbon-based fuel is likely
A) coal.
B) oil.
C) methane hydrates.
D) shale gas.
58)
Which of the following has a negative radiative forcing (i.e. cools the planet)?
A) carbon dioxide (CO2)
B) nitrous oxides (N2O)
C) stratospheric ozone (O3)
D) methane (CH4)
59) The IPCC Fifth Assessment Report concludes
A) that while climate change is occurring, it is largely natural climate fluctuations.
B) it is highly doubtful that recent climate trends represent anything more than a temporary
perturbation in the long term climate signal.
C) humans are likely (95% certainty) responsible for the temperature increase from 1951 to
2010.
D) there is no consensus on recent climate trends; some maintain it is mostly human-caused,
others maintain it is natural fluctuations.
60) How have scientists used isotopic analysis to determine the rise of atmospheric CO2 is
mostly from the burning of fossil fuels?
A) Since 14C is an unstable isotope, scientists have dated the atmospheric carbon to the period
since the Industrial Revolution.
B) Both coal and oil contain a high proportion of 14C. By analyzing, 14C/12C ratios, scientists
have been able to determine the source based on this fact.
C) The low proportions of 13C and 14C within atmospheric CO2 indicates the source is fossil
carbon.
D) 14C concentrations are much higher in urban areas than in rural areas, indicating fossil fuels
must have a higher 14C/12C ratio than carbon from other sources.
61) General circulation models (GCMs) of the atmosphere
A) are pre-computer based models that estimated atmospheric and oceanic circulation and are
now being used to study climate change.
B) are highly simplistic models that use one or two variables to test the veracity of climate
proxies, such as ice core and ocean sediment core samples.
C) are based on statistical three-dimensional grids that characterize portions of the atmosphere
and ocean in terms of climate-related variables.
D) calculate the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere based on data from
weather stations located around the globe.
62)
According to the A2 scenario, which represents continuous population growth and lower level of
economic growth and technological change?
A) global surface temperatures will cool during the most of the 21st Century.
B) global surface temperatures will increase until about mid-century, then steadily decrease.
C) global surface temperatures will increase throughout the 21st Century, perhaps by as much as
4 C° (7.2 F°) by 2100.
D) global surface temperatures will increase throughout the 21st Century, but at a very gradual
rate.
63)
Which scenario predicts the lowest level of warming during the 21st Century?
A) A1F1—continued use of fossil fuels
B) B1—use of greater amounts of new and clean energy technologies.
C) B2—lower levels of economic growth and technological change, emphasis on local solutions.
D) A2—continuous population growth and lower level of economic growth and technological
change.
64) According to models developed by NOAA, by the end of the 21st Century, global sea level
may rise as high as
A) 0.2 m (0.7 ft)
B) 0.5 m (1.6 ft)
C) 1.2 m (3.9 m)
D) 2.0 m (6.6 ft)
65) An estimated ________ people could be displaced by a sea level rise of 1.0 m (3.2 ft).
A) 1,000,000
B) 10,000,000
C) 100,000,000
D) 130,000,000
66) The legally binding international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is known as
the
A) Montreal Protocol.
B) Kyoto Protocol.
C) CITES.
D) ICRW.
67) Which of the following is incorrect?
A) Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) causes warming temperatures.
B) Scientists can definitively (100% certainty) attribute climate changes to anthropogenic causes
alone.
C) Global warming affects overall climate.
D) Human activities have increased the amount of atmospheric greenhouse gases.
68) Which of the following is not a stated ancillary benefit of reducing greenhouse gas
emissions?
A) Improved air quality.
B) Increase in renewable and sustainable energy development.
C) Greater dependence on imported oil.
D) Fewer oil tanker spills.
69) According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. could meet the carbon emission
reduction targets in the Kyoto Protocol
A) at a cost of approximately $5 to $10 billion a year.
B) at a savings of $7 to $37 billion a year.
C) at a cost of approximately $10 to $15 billion a year and with a risk of higher unemployment.
D) without any economic benefits or detriments.
70) Which of the following is not an example of an action an individual can take to help mitigate
against climate change?
A) placing dishes in dishwater without pre-washing
B) improving regional land use practices
C) eating locally sourced foods
D) using energy efficient light bulbs
E) driving a vehicle with high fuel economy
71) Which of the following is not an example of individuals and communities working to
mitigate climate change?
A) Tree planting in exchange for greenhouse gas credits
B) Leaving the decision-making to elected officials
C) Farmers using no-till agriculture
D) Protecting and restoring natural habitats
E) Using renewable energy sources
11.2 True/False Questions
1) Many scientists consider climate change to be one of the most critical issues facing
humankind in the twenty-first century.
2) Climate change science is an integral part of physical geography and Earth system science.
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3) The physical evidence for global climate change is limited, based primarily on conjecture and
indirect evidence.
4) Climate has fluctuated naturally over Earth’s long history. As a result, most scientists are
skeptical that human activity has contributed to recent trends in global climate.
5) Carbon dioxide (CO2) produced from human activities is amplifying Earth’s natural
greenhouse effect.
6) The majority of human population growth is now occurring in more-developed countries
(MDCs).
7) More-developed countries (MDCs) currently emit the greatest amount of greenhouse gases per
capita.
8) The rate of population growth decreased after 1950.
9) In May 2013, the Mauna Loa Observatory recorded the highest CO2
concentrations on record.
10) To study past climates, scientists use direct measurements.
11) Firsthand, reliable scientific measurements of climate only date back approximately 140
years.
12) Both the 16O and 18O oxygen isotopes occur in water molecules and can be used for
isotopic analysis to reconstruct past climates.
13) The exoskeletons of marine microorganisms provide a valuable clue of past climatic
conditions.
14) Ice cores provide a longer, but less detailed climate record than ocean sediment cores.
15) The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) is characterized by some of the coolest
temperatures in the Earth’s history.
16) Over the span of the last 5 million years, climate reconstructions show a series of cooler and
warmer periods.
17) Ice core analysis shows a close correlation between atmospheric methane (CH4) and carbon
dioxide (CO2) concentrations and temperatures.
18) The annual growth ring added by tree species is known as a varve.