Earth's Changing Climate Unit Test Review

Climate researchers in Greenland can use ice core samples to tell them about methane in the atmosphere in the past. Researchers found a sample that showed a time period when methane in the atmosphere increased. What happened to amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface during this time?

During this time, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

• increased.

• decreased.

Geologists have found rocks showing that about 700 million years ago, there was a time period when the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased. How did energy in the Earth system change during this time?

• There was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy entered than exited.

• There was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because lessenergy entered than exited.

• There was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because moreenergy entered than exited.

• There was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy entered than exited.

There are some bacteria that release methane into the atmosphere. Scientists think that if the number of these bacteria decreased, the amount of methane in the atmosphere would decrease.

What would happen to energy in the Earth system if the atmosphere had less methane?Energy in the Earth system would

• decrease, because less energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would beredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• decrease, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would beredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• decrease, because less energy would enter than exit. This is because less energy would be trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.

• increase, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less energy from the sun would beredirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

Some scientists found that millions of years ago, there was a time when the number of trees increased very quickly, leading to a decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What would you predict about the amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface during this time?

During this time, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface

• increased.

• decreased.

• stayed at a consistent level.

• changed unpredictably.

Scientists have tools that measure the amount of energy entering and exiting the Earth system. Recently, more energy entered the system than exited.

What might scientists expect to see in the atmosphere, and what has changed about energy in the Earth system?

• Methane decreased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Methane decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Methane increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Methane increased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

Ice core data from Greenland indicates there was a time period on Earth when the atmosphere changed so more energy entered the system than exited.

What change to the atmosphere could have caused this and how would it have affected energy on Earth during that time?

• Carbon dioxide increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more exiting energy wasredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• Carbon dioxide increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.

• Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less exiting energy wasredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because less energy from the sun was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

Fossilized shells from the Pacific Ocean show that about 15 million years ago, there was a time period when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. What would have happened to the energy absorbed by Earth’s surface during this time?

During this time, energy absorbed by Earth’s surface

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

• decreased.

• increased.

A climatologist is creating a simulation for Earth’s climate and is working on how to set it up. One of the options for the simulation is to increase methane in the atmosphere. How should the energy in the Earth system change when the amount of methane in the atmosphere increases?

There should be

• more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy enters than exits.

• more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy enters than exits.

• less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy enters than exits.

• less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy enters than exits.

From about 120 to 80 million years ago, scientists think that a large amount of carbon dioxide was released from rock on the ocean floor, which led to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What happened to energy in the Earth system during this time?

Energy in the Earth system

• increased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because more energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.

• decreased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because more energy from the sun wasredirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

A climatologist was working with a computer simulation that models Earth’s climate and atmosphere. She set up the controls of the simulation to decrease the amount of methane in the atmosphere. What should happen to the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface?

When methane decreases, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface should

• change unpredictably.

• stay at a constant level.

• increase.

• decrease.