Milankovitch Cycles and Earth's Climate

What is the connection between sunspot activity and the energy emitted by the Sun?

• Sunspots cause the Sun to emit more energy

• Sunspots cause the Sun to emit less energy

• Sunspots have no effect on the energy emitted by the Sun

• Sunspots cause the Sun to emit energy in a cyclical pattern

What was the period in the 1600s called when no sunspots were noticed for several decades?

• The Little Ice Age

• The Pleistocene

• The Glacial Interval

• The Milankovitch Cycle

Who first described the cycles related to slight changes in Earth's orbit around the Sun?

• Milutin Milankovitch

• Albert Einstein

• Isaac Newton

• Galileo Galilei

During the Pleistocene, how much did average global temperatures fluctuate?

• 1°C-2°C

• 3°C-4°C

• 5°C-6°C

• 12°C-13°C

What happened to the ice sheets during the warmer interglacial intervals?

• They grew and advanced across Asia, Europe, and North America

• They melted back

• They remained stable

• They disappeared completely

What is the main effect of Milankovitch cycles on Earth's climate?

• They affect the overall amount of light energy received from the Sun

• They affect the distribution of light and intensity of the seasons

• They cause the ice sheets to grow and advance

• They cause the ice sheets to melt back

Where is it particularly important to track when the winters are warmer and summers are cooler?

• Southern Hemisphere

• Northern Hemisphere

• Equator

• Polar Regions

What happens when more snow falls on land in polar regions?

• The winter becomes colder

• The summer becomes hotter

• The snow melts faster

• The snow accumulates and forms glaciers

How many times did the glaciers advance and retreat during the Pleistocene?

• Less than 5 times

• Around 10 times

• Around 15 times

• More than 20 times

What is the current climate period Earth is in?

• The Ice Age

• The Glacial Interval

• The Little Ice Age

• A warm, interglacial interval