How things work college course/Cumulative global warming exam

The unshuffled version can serve as a pre-reading activity for the Wikipedia article, Global warming (permalink)

See Global warming quizzes for other quizzes devoted to this article. This cumulative exam covers every question on the four quizzes.

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Cumulative Global Warming Exam

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Lede

1 The lede's graph of the "Global Land Ocean Temperature Index (1880-2013)" shows little or no temperature rise over the last ____ years

	30
	100
	3
	10
	300

2 Since 1971, 90% of earth's increased energy caused by global warming has been stored in the _____________, mostly _____________

	land; near the equators
	sea; in the bottom kilometer
	land; near the poles
	air; in the water vapor
	sea; in the top kilometer

3 The lede's graph of the "Global Land Ocean Temperature Index (1880-2013)" shows that since 1920, there has never been a decade of overall cooling

	true
	false

4 The largest temperature increases (from 2000-2009) have occurred

	in the western hemisphere
	near the poles
	on the ocean surface
	near the equator

5 The 2007 IPCC report stated that most global warming was likely being caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities. Among the science academies of the major industrialized nations, this finding was recognized by

	90% of the academies of science
	60% of the academies of science
	all but the US academy of science
	all of the academies of science

6 in 2013, the IPCC stated that the largest driver of global warming is carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Other important sources of CO2 are

	population growth
	cement production and waste disposal
	population growth and waste disposal
	cement production and land use changes

7 The lede's graphs of the "Global Land Ocean Temperature Index (1880-2013)" indicates that from 1960 to 2012 the average temperature increased by approximately

	0.16° Celsius
	0.6° Celsius
	16° Celsius
	1.6° Celsius
	0.06° Celsius

8 Which statement is FALSE about the lede's map of the temperature anomaly (2000-2009)?

	Northern Asia has warmed more than southern Asia
	Central Europe has warmed more than the continental United States
	all portions of Antarctica have warmed
	The United States has warmed more than Australia

9 The lede's "CO2 Emissions per Year" graph (1990-2010) shows dips and rises that are caused by changes in

	the earth's distance from the sun
	the world economy
	worldwide efforts to curtail emissions
	the sun's energy output

10 The lede's "CO2 Emissions per Year" graph (1990-2010) shows solid straight lines that represent

	estimates of the contributions from everything except fossil fuels
	estimates of the contributions from fossil fuels alone
	estimates of the impact on land temperatures
	estimates made in the year 2000 of what would happen in the future

11 In climate science, mitigation refers to:

	adaptation to the effects of global warming
	building systems resilient to the effects of global warming
	reduction of green house emissions
	climate engineering

12 Anthropogenic means something that

	human caused
	humans cannot repair
	will hurt humans
	humans can repair

Observed temperature changes

13 The Earth's average surface temperature rose by approximately _______ per decade over the period 1906–2005.

	0.7°C
	7.0°C
	0.07°C

14 In the twentieth century, the rate of earth's average temperature rise was closest to

	0.7 °C per year
	0.7 °C per decade
	0.7 °C per century

15 Compared with the first half of the twentieth century, the rate of earth's average temperature rise during the second (latter) half was

	half as much
	about the same
	twice as much

16 Compared with the second half of the twentieth century, the rate of earth's average temperature rise during the first half was

	twice as much
	half as much
	about the same

17 The urban heat island effect refers to the fact that urban areas tend to be hotter than rural areas. The urban heat island effect is estimated to account for approximately _____ of the temperature rise over the past century.

	0.3%
	0%
	30%
	3%

18 Proxy temperatures measurements are defined as indirect inferences gathered from ice cores, tree rings, and so forth

	true
	false

19 Proxy temperatures measurements are defined as measurements made using measurements from space.

	true
	false

20 The Reconstructed Temperature (0-2000 AD) plot in "Observed Temperature Changes" shows temperature measurements. The solid black line represents

	the Medieval Warming Period
	a 10 year average
	thermometer measurements
	tree proxy measurements
	the Little Ice Age

21 The Reconstructed Temperature (0-2000 AD) plot in "Observed Temperature Changes" shows temperature measurements, as well as what curious feature? (See also Divergence problem)

	a divergence between the tree and pollen proxy measurements
	the fact that the different proxy measurements deviate considerably from the average of all proxy measurements
	the Little Ice Age being less prominent than the Medieval Warming period
	a tiny gap at the end of the proxy measurements

22 A rise in the sea level is associated with global warming because

	both of these are true
	ice and snow melts
	water tends to expand as it warms

23 What happens when water is heated?

	it expands at temperatures below 3.98°C and contracts above 3.98°C
	it expands at temperatures above 3.98°C and contracts below 3.98°C
	it absorbs CO2

24 No direct method exists that permits an independent measurement of the heat content of the oceans, other than the fact that the air is warming

	true
	false

25 Ocean temperatures are increasing more slowly than land temperatures because oceans have more heat capacity and because evaporation cools the water.

	true
	false

26 Ocean temperatures are increasing more slowly than land temperatures because the oceans are absorbing less heat energy from the sun

	true
	false

Initial causes of temperature changes and external forcings

27 The "Greenhouse effect schematic" in the section on "Temperature changes..." indicates that most of the energy from the Sun is absorbed by the earth's atmosphere.

	true
	false

28 The "Greenhouse effect schematic" in the section on "Temperature changes..." indicates that most of the energy from the Sun is absorbed at the earth's surface.

	true
	false

29 Which external force plays the smallest role in current efforts to model global warming?

	volcanic eruptions
	greenhouse gasses
	solar luminosity (i.e. variations in energy from the sun)
	orbital cycles

30 "External forcings" refer to effects that can increase, but not decrease, the Earth's temperature.

	true
	false

31 "External forcings" refer to effects that can either increase or decrease, the Earth's temperature.

	true
	false

32 Water vapor contributes more to the greenhouse effect than does carbon dioxide.

	true
	false

33 Carbon dioxide contributes more to the greenhouse effect than does water vapor.

	true
	false

34 The Keeling curve shows that carbon dioxide concentrations

	show a steady rise in CO2 levels, at constant slope, and irregular fluctuations due associated with El Ninos and La Ninas.
	show a steady rise in CO2 levels, with increasing slope, and regular and predictable annual fluctuations
	show a steady rise in CO2 levels, at constant slope, and regular and predictable annual fluctuations

35 The climate change community is divided between those who believe the goal should be to eliminate the earth's greenhouse effect altogether, and those who argue that we should attempt to minimize earth's greenhouse effect.

	true
	false

36 Emissions scenarios are

	estimates of changes in future emission levels of greenhouse gases
	estimates of how greenhouse gasses are absorbed and emitted by nature
	estimates of how greenhouse gasses are absorbed and emitted by the world's oceans
	estimates of how greenhouse gasses are absorbed and emitted by agriculture

37 It is expected that carbon emissions will begin to diminish in the 21st century as fossil fuel reserves begin to dwindle.

	true
	false

38 The carbon cycle

	is an effort to store carbon in underground caves.
	describes how carbon is absorbed and emitted by the oceans, soil, plants, etc.
	is a proposal to trade carbon credits.

39 Global dimming, caused by air-born particulates produced by volcanoes and human made pollutants

	exerts a heating effect by absorbing infra-red radiation from earth's surface
	exerts a cooling effect by increasing the reflection of incoming sunlight
	is more related to the ozone problem than to global warming

40 Soot tends to warm the earth when it accumulates in atmospheric brown clouds.

	true
	false

41 Soot tends to cool the earth when it accumulates in atmospheric brown clouds.

	true
	false

42 In the arctic, soot tends to cool the earth.

	true
	false

43 In the arctic, soot tends to warm the earth.

	true
	false

44 Approximately what percent of global warming can be attributed to a long-term trend (since 1978) in the sun's energy?

	0%
	50%
	30%
	10%

45 Greenhouse warming acts to cool the stratosphere

	true
	false

46 Greenhouse warming acts to warm the stratosphere

	true
	false

47 The distinction between the urban heat island effect and land use changes is that the latter involves the earth's average temperature while the former involves only the temperature near weather stations where the measurements are made

	true
	false

48 Depleting the ozone layer cools the stratosphere because ozone allows UV radiation to penetrate.

	true
	false

49 Depleting the ozone layer cools the stratosphere because ozone absorbs UV energy from the sun that heats the stratosphere.

	true
	false

Feedback

50 Changes in ice-albedo refers to changes in

	how much ice is melted during the summer months
	how much CO2 is absorbed by the sun
	how much the Earth's surface absorbs or reflects incoming sunlight

51 The Stefan-Boltzmann law plays a central role in establishing a planets temperature as the sun heats the planet until the thermal (infra-red) radiation away the planet rises to match the solar radiation onto the planet

	true
	false

52 The Stefan-Boltzmann law plays a central role in establishing a planets temperature as the sun heats the planet with thermal (infra-red) radiation adding to the other solar radiation onto the planet

	true
	false

53 Stefan-Boltzmann radiation is called a negative feedback mechanism because if the sun's radiation increases, the Stefan-Boltzmann law ensures that more heat is lost from the planet to compensate.

	true
	false

54 Stefan-Boltzmann radiation is called a negative feedback mechanism because if the sun's radiation increases, the Stefan-Boltzmann law ensures that this heat is retained by the planet.

	true
	false

Climate models

55 Computer models accurately model feedback mechanisms associated with the role of clouds as a feedback mechanism.

	true
	false

56 Computer models accurately model feedback mechanisms associated with how the soil will retain or release CO2 as the earth warms.

	true
	false

57 Analysis of the uncertainties associated with feedback suggests that the "worst-case" scenario is easier to model.

	true
	false

58 Analysis of the uncertainties associated with feedback suggests that the "worst-case" scenario is more difficult to model.

	true
	false

59 The cryosphere refers to

	the highest mountains
	two of these are true
	the upper atmosphere
	the north and south poles

60 While computer modeling indicate that the warming since 1970 is dominated by man-made greenhouse gas emissions, they are unable to conclusively ascertain whether the warming from 1910 to 1945 was anthropogenic.

	true
	false

61 Computer modeling has conclusively established that anthropogenic warming has occurred since 1910.

	true
	false

62 How is the validity of a computer model typically tested?

	by making predictions about future years and seeing if they come true.
	all of these are true
	by verifying its ability to calculate current climate conditions.
	by verifying its ability to calculate past climate conditions.