Atmosphere Summative

The picture below shows a stretch of land that has been cleared of its natural vegetation. The rate of deforestation to create new buildings and farmland has increased over the last 100 years. What effect could this have on the atmosphere in the future?

The location of ozone in the atmosphere determines whether it is “good” or “bad.” Which of the following statements about ozone is true?

• Ozone in the troposphere is harmful, and ozone in the stratosphere is beneficial.
• Ozone in the stratosphere is harmful, and ozone in the troposphere is beneficial.
• Ozone in both the troposphere and the stratosphere is bad.
• Ozone in both the troposphere and the stratosphere is good.

Over the past 60 years, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been continually increasing. Many scientists hypothesize that this increase has led to an imbalance in the carbon cycle and a climatic trend known as global warming. In which of the following ways could humans help the carbon cycle return to normal

• cap volcanoes so that they do not release more carbon dioxide
• cut down trees and other large plants that depend on carbon dioxide
• pump nitrogen and oxygen into the air to help rebalance the atmosphere
• reduce the amount of fossil fuels they combust

The Earth’s atmosphere consists of a combination of gases. Scientists believe that we are creating air pollution, which causes an increase in some gases, such as carbon dioxide. Such increases make it difficult for the atmosphere to stay in balance, and heat radiating from the Earth is being trapped. What term refers to the sun’s energy being trapped in our atmosphere?

• Cumulus clouds
• Transpiration
• Convection
• Greenhouse Effect

Many different processes, both natural and human-caused, can release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Which of the following processes can occur naturally and adds carbon dioxide to the atmosphere?

• the burning of petroleum in an automobile
• the burning of plant life in a forest fire
• the burning of coal in a coal-fired power plant
• the burning of natural gas on a stove

The atmosphere will likely contain more carbon dioxide and less oxygen in the future

• if we set aside more land for forest preserves.
• if the rate of deforestation continues to increase.
• if more people ride bicycles instead of driving gasoline powered cars.
• if all coal burning power plants are replaced by wind turbines.

Which of the following statements about forest fires and the atmosphere is true? Select all that apply.

• Forest fires add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
• Forest fires release weather-altering particles into the atmosphere.
• Forest fires add oxygen to the atmosphere
• Forest fires reduce the number of trees that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Air is made up of gas particles. These particles exert pressure on every object they collide against. This pressure is known as air pressure. Which of the following statements about air pressure is true?

• Air pressure decreases as altitude increases.
• The atmosphere's air pressure does not vary.
• Air pressure increases as altitude increases.
• Warm air tends to have a higher air pressure than cold air.

Most of the water vapor and carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere is found

• in the upper part of the atmosphere.
• in the lower part of the atmosphere.
• in a thick layer right in the middle of the atmosphere.
• in a thin layer right in the middle of the atmosphere.

The graph below shows how temperature changes with altitude in the Earth's atmosphere. Examine the graph, and then answer the question that follows. In the mesosphere,

• temperature stays the same as altitude increases.
• temperature decreases as altitude increases.
• temperature alternately increases and decreases as altitude increases.
• temperature increases as altitude increases.