Climate Change Basics

A greenhouse is very good at:

• Letting in sunlight, but not letting warmth escape

• Not letting in sunlight, but easily letting warmth escape

• Keeping the inside cold

• Providing nutrients to plants

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas:

• Water vapor

• Carbon dioxide

• Ozone

• Nitrous oxide

• All of the above

Greenhouse gases:

• Trap cold air in the atmosphere

• Trap heat in the atmosphere

• Have no positive effects

• Play no role in global warming

Mars has a very thin atmosphere. This plays a role in:

• Making Mars very hot

• Making Mars very cold

• Causing climate change on Mars

• Guaranteeing that there is water on Mars

The greenhouse gas that has most contributed to climate change over the last 100 years is:

• Ozone

• Methane

• Carbon Dioxide

• Chlorofluorocarbons

Global warming is:

• the long-term changes in climate, including average temperature and precipitation

• the melting of the polar ice caps

• the increase of the Earth’s average surface temperature due to a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

• sea-level rise

By how many degrees has the average global temperature increased since 1880?

• None

• 0.5^oC or 0.9^oF

• 0.8^oC or 1.4^oF

• 5^oC or 8.75^oF

What evidence do we have that global temperatures are rising and climates are changing?

• Global temperature data

• Evidence of glaciers and ice-caps melting

• Sea-level data (satellite and tidal)

• Various biological responses in ecosystems

• All of the above

What percentage of climate researchers believe that humans are causing global warming?

• 50%

• 75%

• 80%

• 95-100%

Which of the following correctly differentiates between weather and climate?

• Weather describes short term conditions of the atmosphere, while climate describes long term conditions of the atmosphere.

• Weather describes long term conditions of the atmosphere, while climate describes short term conditions of the atmosphere.

• Weather describes conditions of the atmosphere, while climate only describes changes in temperature.

• Weather describes changes in temperature over time, while climate describes changes in atmosphere over time.