Climate Research and Methane Levels

Climate researchers in Greenland can use ice core samples to tell them about methane in the atmosphere in the past. Researchers found a sample that showed a time period when methane in the atmosphere increased. What happened to the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface during this time?

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

• increased.

• decreased.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

Fossilized shells from the Pacific Ocean show that about 15 million years ago, there was a time period when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. What would have happened to the energy absorbed by Earth’s surface during this time?

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

• decreased.

• increased.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

A climatologist is creating a simulation for Earth’s climate and is working on how to set it up. One of the options for the simulation is to increase methane in the atmosphere. How should the energy in the Earth system change when the amount of methane in the atmosphere increases?

• more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy enters than exits.

• more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy enters than exits.

• less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy enters than exits.

• less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy enters than exits.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

A climatologist was working with a computer simulation that models Earth's climate and atmosphere. She set up the controls of the simulation to decrease the amount of methane in the atmosphere. What should happen to the amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface?

• change unpredictably.

• stay at a constant level.

• increase.

• decrease.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

What happens to the Earth's energy system when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreases?

• More energy enters the Earth system than exits.

• Less energy enters the Earth system than exits.

• The amount of energy entering and exiting the Earth system remains the same.

• The energy entering the Earth system increases.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

How does a decrease in carbon dioxide contribute to an ice age?

• It increases the Earth's temperature.

• It decreases the amount of energy absorbed by the surface.

• It increases the amount of energy absorbed by the surface.

• It has no effect on the Earth's temperature.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

What is the effect on global average temperature when carbon dioxide decreases?

• The temperature increases.

• The temperature remains the same.

• The temperature decreases.

• The temperature fluctuates.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

During an ice age, what happens to the global average temperature?

• It becomes much warmer.

• It becomes much colder.

• It remains constant.

• It fluctuates rapidly.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

What role does carbon dioxide play in the Earth's energy system?

• It increases the energy entering the Earth system.

• It decreases the energy entering the Earth system.

• It has no effect on the Earth's energy system.

• It only affects the energy exiting the Earth system.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

What happens to the energy from the sun during an ice age period?

• It increases significantly.

• It decreases significantly.

• It remains unchanged.

• It fluctuates unpredictably.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4