Earth's Changing Climate-Show What You Know

When carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface should

• increase

• decrease

• stay at a constant level

• change unpredictably

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The graph above shows global temperature changes between the years 1880 and 2011. Which of the following best describes the changes seen in the graph?

• The graph shows a trend of increasing temperature over the years.

• The graph shows temperatures go up and down, with no trend.

• The graph shows the Annual Mean and 5-Year Mean have different trends.

• The graph show too much fluctuation to show a trend.

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Using evidence from rocks, scientists have found that from 300 to 290 million years ago, the amount of methane in the atmosphere increased. What happened to the energy absorbed by Earth's surface during this time?

• It stayed at a constant level.

• It changed unpredictably.

• It increased.

• It decreased.

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Scientists study tree rings to learn more about Earth’s past climate. They found a time period when the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased. What happened to energy in the Earth system when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased?

Energy in the Earth system

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

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

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

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

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NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

What is one reason that carbon dioxide is increasing in the atmosphere today?

• There are more volcanoes than there were in the past.

• People are riding bicycles instead of driving cars.

• There are more people doing things that use combustion.

• People are using solar power.

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When making an argument about how climate change is affecting the ice cover on Earth, which of the following would be the least effective type of evidence to support your argument?

• data tracking the amount of snowfall for the last 50 years

• data tracking the surface temperature for the last 200 years

• data tracking carbon dioxide levels for the last 100 years

• data tracking glacier size for the last 2 years

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What can humans do to help keep carbon dioxide and methane in Earth’s atmosphere from increasing?

• Drive their cars less often

• Eat less meat so that fewer livestock need to be kept

• Both A and B

• Humans can’t affect the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere

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Eleanor wants to do an experiment in order to analyze what is in the atmosphere. What do you think she will find?

• The atmosphere is made of one kind of gas.

• The atmosphere is made of different kinds of gases, and each forms its own layer.

• The atmosphere is made of a mix of different kinds of gases.

• The atmosphere isn’t made of anything.

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