Carbon Dioxide and Climate Change

How does the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere become incorporated as carbon into living things?

• through photosynthesis

• through respiration

• through deposition

• through decomposition

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A scientist is interested in determining what effect increasing the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere will have on the rate of plant growth. In order to conduct her experiment, she plants 30 pine trees in three separate greenhouses. In the first greenhouse she maintains normal CO₂ levels, in another she maintains lower than average CO₂ levels, and in the final greenhouse she maintains increased CO₂ levels. The graph represents the experimental results.

What argument is supported by the data?

• Increased CO₂ levels always lead to increased growth rate in pine trees, and that growth rate is maintained over time.

• Decreased CO₂ levels allow pine trees to grow faster than normal CO₂ levels over a sustained period of time.

• Increased CO₂ levels increase the growth rate of pine trees initially, but over time, the growth rate reduces to normal levels.

• Decreased CO₂ levels slow the growth rate of pine trees initially, but over time, the growth rate increases to normal levels.

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Use the graph showing the change in heat levels for the ocean, land, and atmosphere from 1950 to 2000 to answer the question.

Based on the data in the graph, which statement best predicts a change in an abiotic part of the biosphere due to the changes in heat content?

• There will be a decrease in the polar bear populations at the North Pole.

• There will be an increase in the penguin populations at the South Pole.

• The surface area of the biosphere covered in ice will decrease.

• The surface area of the biosphere covered in ice will increase.

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Methane (CH₄) gas has a five-year global warming potential that is 72 times greater than that of carbon dioxide. The graph shows the changes in global methane concentrations over the past five years.

What can be inferred from the data shown in this graph?

• Any global warming caused by methane concentrations would be offset by cooling caused by increased carbon dioxide levels.

• Methane concentrations in the atmosphere have increased by almost 40 ppb, contributing to measurable warming of the atmosphere.

• Seasonal fluctuations in methane concentrations in the atmosphere indicate that methane has no net effect on global warming.

• Seasonal fluctuations in the monthly mean methane concentrations are mostly below the adjusted average, contributing to measurable cooling of the atmosphere.

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The greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring process influenced by the composition of the Earth's atmosphere. The table shows the interrelationship among atmospheric gases, global temperature, and plants.

Which sequence accurately completes the table in areas W, X, Y, and Z?

• increases, increases, increases, decreases

• higher, decreases, decreases, increases

• decreases, decreases, decreases, increases

• lower, increases, increases, decreases

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Which human activity contributes the least to global warming?

• cutting of forests

• use of pesticides in agriculture

• extensive burning of fossil fuels

• establishment of coal-fired power plants

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The graph shows the changes in the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide from 1006 to 2002.

Which naturally occurring environmental event most likely contributed to the increased concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide?

• increased rates of photosynthesis in invasive plants

• reduced volcanic activity worldwide

• seasonal shifting of the arctic air mass

• deforestation as a result of lightning-ignited forest fires

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How does a decomposer connect the biotic elements with the abiotic elements of an ecosystem?

• by creating sugar using the energy from captured sunlight

• by releasing heat energy into the atmosphere during photosynthesis

• by using light energy to decompose decaying remains of organisms

• by breaking down dead organisms into simpler forms of matter

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Use this series of graphs to answer the question. Global warming is caused by humans adding substantial amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, causing an increase in the average global temperature.

Even though they have exceptionally high heat-trapping abilities, why would climate scientists be less concerned with chlorofluorocarbons such as CFC-11 and CFC-12 than scientists were 30 years ago?

• Chlorofluorocarbons are less prone to seasonal fluctuations in concentrations in the atmosphere, making them more stable, and thus less dangerous as greenhouse gases.

• Since the concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere have been decreasing over that time, they are less of a long-term threat to global climate destabilization.

• Even though concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere have been increasing, this has been offset by a decrease in other, more concentrated gases.

• The long-term trend has been for an overall decrease in the concentrations of all major greenhouse gases, making climate change seem increasingly less likely.

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Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas are widely used across the world to run vehicles, power electricity plants, and heat buildings. Rapid growth in the human population is causing an exponential rise in the use of fossil fuels. Increased use of these fossil fuels is not only depleting the Earth of these nonrenewable natural resources, it is also releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the air.

How is the release of huge amounts of carbon dioxide affecting the environment?

• It is causing a decrease in the grass cover of the land.

• It is causing a rise in the average temperature of the planet.

• It is resulting in the spread of diseases among aquatic animals.

• It is resulting in the spread of invasive, non-native aquatic animals.

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