Climate Quiz 3

Ice-core data provide climate records up to _______________ of years before present.

• several thousands

• several tens of thousands

• several hundreds of thousands

• several millions

Answer explanation

Ice-core data can provide climate records spanning several hundreds of thousands of years before present, making this the correct choice. Other options underestimate the time range covered by ice-core studies.

Which of the following statements is true of average global temperature?

• It has only started changing in the past few hundred years.

• It has cooled and warmed several times over the past few hundred thousand years.

• It has been cooling steadily for the past hundred thousand years.

• It has been warming steadily for the past hundred thousand years.

• We know nothing about global temperature before people set up weather stations around the world in the 1800s.

Answer explanation

The correct statement is that average global temperature has cooled and warmed several times over the past few hundred thousand years, reflecting natural climate cycles, rather than a steady trend in one direction.

One way scientists use ice cores to understand climate change is by measuring the ___________ of different ice layers.

• composition

• temperature

• thickness

• density

Answer explanation

Scientists analyze the composition of ice layers in ice cores to identify trapped gases and particles, which provide insights into past climate conditions. This makes 'composition' the correct choice for understanding climate change.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-5

The main reason scientists study paleoclimates is because:

• it helps them know when certain animals went extinct.

• they are interesting to know about.

• it helps us better understand what can happen to climate in the future.

• they want to know what the weather was like when they were born.

• ice cores in Antarctica are hard to drill.

Answer explanation

Scientists study paleoclimates primarily to understand past climate patterns, which helps predict future climate changes. This knowledge is crucial for addressing current environmental challenges.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

While studying tree rings from a Douglas Fir tree, you notice that some of the rings are thicker than others. What probably caused the thicker rings?

• The tree got fatter as it got older.

• As the tree became older it absorbed more nutrients.

• The tree grew slower because of lack of sunlight.

• The tree grew faster because of warmer temperatures.

• Tree rings tell us the type of species but nothing else.

Answer explanation

Thicker tree rings indicate periods of rapid growth, often due to favorable conditions. Warmer temperatures can enhance growth rates, leading to thicker rings, making this the most likely cause for the observed variation.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

Why do tree rings come in pairs with one light ring and one dark ring?

• Light rings are warm climates and dark rings are cool climates.

• Light rings are spring growth and dark rings are summer/fall growth.

• The light/dark rings keep the nutrients in the tree balanced.

• Light rings are cool climates and dark rings are warm climates.

• The light/dark rings represent a 2-year growth cycle.

Answer explanation

Tree rings consist of light and dark bands due to seasonal growth patterns. The light rings represent spring growth when conditions are optimal, while the dark rings indicate slower growth during summer and fall.

Bubbles of air found in ice cores can tell us about:

• the shape of foraminifera shells.

• the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

• how many fossil fuels have been burned over time.

• types of pollen during a specific time period.

• ancient temperature, if a thermometer is put in the bubble.

Answer explanation

Bubbles of air trapped in ice cores preserve ancient atmospheric gases, including carbon dioxide. Analyzing these bubbles allows scientists to determine historical CO2 levels, making this the correct choice.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

The graph below shows ice core records from Antarctica. Which time interval represents the longest uninterrupted glacial period (ice age)?

• 12,000 to zero thousand years ago

• 132,000 to 124,000 years ago

• 181,000 to 135,000 years ago

• 210,000 to 190,000 years ago

Answer explanation

The longest uninterrupted glacial period is from 181,000 to 135,000 years ago, as this interval shows a significant and extended ice age without major interruptions, unlike the other options.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

The graph shows ice core records from Antarctica. Which time interval represents the longest interglacial period (ice age)?

• 12,000 to zero thousand years ago

• 104 to 23 thousand years ago

• 132 to 104 thousand years ago

• 181 to 132 thousand years ago

• 219 to 181 thousand years ago

Answer explanation

The longest interglacial period is represented by the interval from 12,000 to zero thousand years ago, as it marks the end of the last ice age and the beginning of the current warm period, making it the most extended interglacial phase.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

What is a climate proxy?

• An indirect method of learning about past climate.

• A specific time period of climate change.

• A scientific tool for studying climate.

• Fake climate data.

• Thermometer measurements over long time periods.

Answer explanation

A climate proxy is an indirect method of learning about past climate, using natural records like tree rings or ice cores to infer historical climate conditions, rather than direct measurements.