Climate Change Assessment

What is climate?

• atmospheric conditions at a particular place and point in time

• average atmospheric conditions of a large region over a long period of time

• annual weather forecast

• monthly precipitation in a country

Long-term patterns or trends of meteorological conditions in a large region refer to its…

• weather

• forecast

• climate

• albedo

The meteorological conditions in a specific place on a given day refer to its…

• A. climate

• B. weather

• C. habitat

• D. ecosystem

Which type of energy transfer occurs as energy travels from the Sun to Earth?

• radiation

• circulation

• conduction

• convection

Which factor causes the concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere to increase?

• A. condensation

• B. rising temperatures

• C. human activities

• D. decrease in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide

Most of the solar radiation that enters Earth's atmosphere is absorbed by

• clouds

• Earth's surface

• zones of permanent ice

• gases in the atmosphere

Which of the following is not a greenhouse gas?

• methane

• water vapor

• nitrogen

• carbon dioxide

What is the largest carbon sink on Earth?

• oceans

• mountains

• forests

• polar ice caps

All the gases that surround the planet make up the Earth's …

• A. oceans

• B. atmosphere

• C. biosphere

• D. climate

Which of the following is the best conclusion that can be made from the graph on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels?

• atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have been decreasing since 1960

• Hawaii has more carbon dioxide than any other area on Earth

• atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased steadily since 1960

• carbon dioxide levels are higher in October than in April