ECC Practice Quiz

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

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

• decrease, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would be redirected (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 be redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

Answer explanation

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

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

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

• increased.

• decreased.

Answer explanation

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

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

Answer explanation

A change to either the amount of energy entering or exiting the Earth’s system affects how much energy is absorbed by the surface.

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 less energy entered than exited.

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

Answer explanation

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

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

• increased.

• decreased.

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

Answer explanation

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

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.

Answer explanation

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

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 during this time?

• 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.

Answer explanation

A change to either the amount of energy entering or exiting the Earth’s system affects how much energy is absorbed by the surface.absorbed by the surface.

Scientists think that a large amount of carbon dioxide was released from rock on the ocean floor from 120 to 80 million years ago and that this 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 was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

Answer explanation

Global average temperature increases when energy absorbed by the surface increases.

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

A scientist says that even if the amount of energy entering the Earth system from the sun doesn’t change, there can still be less energy entering than exiting the Earth system. What could change in the atmosphere that would cause this, and what effect would this have on energy in the Earth system?

• Methane could increase, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more exiting energy would be redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• Methane could increase, leading to less energy in the Earth system because more energy from the sun would be redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

• Methane could decrease, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less exiting energy would be redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• Methane could decrease, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less energy would be trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.

Answer explanation

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

A change to either the amount of energy entering or exiting the Earth’s system affects how much energy is absorbed by the surface.

Temperature increases if more energy enters than exits. Temperature decreases if more energy exits than enters.

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.

Answer explanation

When the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere changes, the amount of energy absorbed by the surface also changes.

A system can be stable, even as something flows into and out of it. If this balanced flow is disrupted, there may be changes to the system.