Evidence of a Changing Climate

The graph gives information on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industries. Which questions would help clarify the evidence from this graph?

• What caused a drop in GHG emissions around 2009?

• Did GHG emissions cause the melting of Arctic glaciers?

• How much methane was emitted by homes between 1990 and 2000?

• Does industrial equipment release gases other than greenhouse gases?

• Which types of industries were included in the study?

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NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

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This chart shows the global temperature anomaly (the difference of the expected temperature and the actual temperature) over a span of 130 years. Which facts related to climate change does the chart reveal?

• From 1975 to 2010, temperatures on Earth were higher than normal.

• From 1880 to 1940, temperatures on Earth were higher than normal.

• The 10 warmest years in the time span all occurred in the 2000s.

• The coolest year in the time span occurred in 1945.

• Temperatures on Earth do not fluctuate from year to year.

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This chart presents data on greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity from 1990 to 2012. Which questions would help clarify this evidence?

• Which source of electricity generation caused the most emissions?

• What types of industries are responsible for greenhouse gas emissions?

• Which natural sources of greenhouse gas emissions are shown here?

• Why is agriculture the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions?

• What caused the dip in greenhouse gas emissions in transportation after 2007?

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This pie chart presents data on sources of methane emissions in the United States between 1990 and 2013. Which questions would help clarify the evidence in the chart? (Note: Enteric fermentation is a way that some animals digest food.)

• What are the other sources of methane gas that are responsible for 8% of emissions?

• Which type of livestock releases the highest quantities of methane gas during digestion?

• What is the predicted rate of increase for the emission of fluorinated gases in the twenty-first century?

• Which gases are released during production of electricity from fossil fuels?

• Which production processes lead to the release of carbon dioxide during coal mining?

The map gives drought predictions for the United States for August through November 2015. Based on the map, which states are most likely to suffer intense droughts?

• California

• Arizona

• Idaho

• Oklahoma

• Texas

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

NGSS.HS-ESS3-1

A company in San Francisco uses petroleum products to make plastics. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to show how the company could be contributing to climate change.

• • Higher air temperature
    causes ocean water to
    evaporate more rapidly.

• • The amount of water
    vapor in the air rises,
    which further increases
    the air temperature.

• • Greenhouse gases trap solar radiation and warm up the atmosphere

• • The company burns
    fuels to make plastic.

• • Burning fuel releases
    greenhouse gases.

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NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

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Arrange these steps related to climate change in the correct order.

• • Sources emit greenhouse
    gases.

• • Snow and ice melt.

• • Global temperatures rise.

• • Sea levels rise.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

This graph gives information on changes in sea ice extent in the Arctic Ocean over a 30-year span. The overall trend shows ​ (a)   in sea ice extent. To address the trend, scientists need to ask themselves​ (b)   .One direct consequence of the trend is that ​ (c)  

• a decline
• a rise
• no change
• What happens to polar animals when sea ice melts
• How did global rainfall amounts change during the
• Why is sea ice melting so much and so fast
• ocean salinity will decrease
• Arctic regions will cool
• worldwide rainfall amounts will drop
• sea ice will emerge in temperate climates.

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NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

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This pie chart can help you answer questions about US greenhouse gas emissions. The question that cannot be answered with information from this chart is?

• What was the average rate of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in 2012?

• What fraction of US greenhouse gas emissions in 2012 are due to transportation?

• Which sector was the largest source of US greenhouse gas emissions in 2012?

• In 2012, what was the ratio of US greenhouse gas emissions from industry to US greenhouse gas emissions from electricity?

The chart shows how climate change and rising ocean temperatures might affect the types of hurricanes we see this century. The bars show the results from different math models used to make the predictions.

Category 1 includes the least powerful hurricanes. Categories 2 and 3 are moderate hurricanes. Categories 4 and 5 include the most powerful hurricanes.

Groups:

(a) Can be answered using the chart

,

(b) Cannot be answered using the chart

• • How are hurricanes
    formed in the
    atmosphere?

• • Which type of hurricane is
    expected to strike more
    frequently this century?

• • How many category 4
    and 5 hurricanes can
    we expect this century?

• • In general, will hurricanes
    likely become stronger or
    weaker this century?

• • Which types of hurricanes
    are expected to drop in
    frequency by more than
    25% this century?

• Which areas are at
  the highest risk for
  hurricanes

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5