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WorksheetsClimate Literacy Quiz
Total questions: 27
Worksheet time: 9mins
What is the greenhouse effect?
Certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat and warm the Earth
Life on Earth 'exhales' gas that warms up the atmosphere
The tilt of the Earth changes the amount of solar energy the Earth receives
The Sun is putting out more radiant energy over time
If the greenhouse effect is natural, then why is today's climate change a bad thing?
A small increase in greenhouse gas concentration can have a large effect of increased warming.
Humans have altered a natural process and exaggerated changes that might normally occur over millions of years.
Once released into the atmosphere, greenhouse gases remain potent for many years, making it difficult to reverse the process.
Abrupt changes to the climate system may have unintended outcomes that may pose challenges for societies, like more extreme weather, spread of diseases, a decline in marine life, or an alteration of ocean circulation patterns.
Which activities are the largest contributors of greenhouse gases?
Deforestation
Electricity generation
Industry
Transportation
Landfills
How much has CO2 in the atmosphere increased since the Industrial Revolution? In the 10,000 years before the Industrial Revolution in 1751, carbon dioxide levels rose less than 1 percent. Since then, they've risen by:
11 percent
49 percent
62 percent
How has the global average temperature changed since the Industrial Revolution?
Cooler by 0.1 degree C (0.2 degree F)
The temperature has gone up and down, but remains overall the same
Warmer by 0.1 degree C (0.2 degree F)
Warmer by more than 1 degree C (2.1 degrees F)
Warmer by almost 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F)
How does the rate of today's warming compare to previous episodes of rapid climate change on Earth?
Today's climate warming is about as fast as the temperature swings that have happened in Earth's past.
Past changes in the climate have been faster than the changes we're seeing today.
Today, the Earth's climate is changing much faster than it has changed in the past.
We know that variations in Earth's orbit, solar output, and other factors cause changes in the climate. If we removed the human impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, what might the climate be doing today, on its own?
Slight warming
Strong warming
No change
Slight cooling
Strong cooling
When was the last time in Earth's history that CO2 was as high as it is now?
This is the highest it's ever been
CO2 was at least this high during the warm periods between the ice ages
CO2 has not been this high for almost one million years.
The last time CO2 was this high was 3 million years ago.
What proportion of climate scientists has concluded that humans are the primary driver of today's climate warming?
34%
59%
76%
97% or more
Which country has emitted the most CO2 over time? In other words, which nation has the most responsibility for the greenhouse gases that are currently residing in the atmosphere?
China
USA
Russia
European Union
Saudi Arabia
How long does CO2 remain in the atmosphere?
CO2 washes out of the atmosphere seasonally
CO2 remains in the atmosphere for 5-10 years
CO2 remains in the atmosphere for up to 200 years, or more
If we stopped burning fossil fuels today, what would happen to the climate?
Earth's average temperature would continue to rise.
Temperatures would continue to warm, then begin to cool down in 100 years or more.
Temperatures would fluctuate, but stay the same on average.
Temperatures would stop increasing once greenhouse gas concentrations stopped increasing.
What are the major causes of sea level rise? (there is more than one correct answer)
Melting sea ice
Melting glaciers and ice sheets
Rivers accelerating
Seawater expanding as it gets warmer
Rocks and soil washing into the sea
What causes ocean acidification?
CO2 dissolved in ocean water
Sunscreen in the water
Ocean pollution
Warm water
Sediment stirred up by extreme storms
What is the leading cause of coral bleaching?
CO2 dissolved in ocean water
Sunscreen in the water
Ocean pollution
Warm water
Sediment stirred up by extreme storms
How fast to we need to stop burning fossil fuels to limit global temperature rise to 2 degrees C? (3.6 degrees F)
We need to stop burning fossil fuels by 2100.
We need to stop burning fossil fuels by 2040.
Fossil fuels don't matter, the Sun will cool and so will the Earth.
It's already too late to stay below the 2-degree threshold. We should have stopped burning fossil fuels in the early 2000s.
Modern instruments have only been around for a little over 100 years. So how do we know what greenhouse gas concentrations (and temperature) were in Earth's past? (select all that apply)
Air bubbles trapped in ice cores provide detailed records of what the atmosphere was like in the past.
Examining organisms in marine sediments can tell us what the temperature was like in the past.
Glacial moraines show when and where previous episodes of glaciation occurred.
Tree rings show the history of drought, fire, and other environmental variations.
All of the answers given.
Based on the graph in question, What causes the annual up-and-down fluctuation in CO2 in the atmosphere?
People use more energy in the winter
Plants take up more CO2 during the Northern Hemisphere summer
Oil refineries are shut down periodically in the summer
During the Southern hemisphere's winter, strong winds circulate CO2 down into the Southern Hemisphere
What is the primary cause of the overall rising trend in CO2 in the atmosphere?
The increase in CO2 is caused by burning of fossil fuels
CO2 is increasing because we are coming out of an ice age
As human population grows, people exhale more CO2
CO2 is released by the oceans as they warm
This is a graph of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere, measured since 1958. There are two patterns in this data, what are they?
Other than melting land-based ice sheets, which of these factors has made the largest contribution to the rise in sea level over the past 100 years?
Warming of ocean surface waters.
Melting sea ice.
Increased river runoff.
What percentage of heat from global warming has the ocean absorbed in the past 40 years?
11%
35%
90%
The normal temperature range for ocean surface water is:
-2 to 40°C
-2 to 35°C
-5 to 50°C
4.5 to 18°C
What percentage of the world's population lives within 100 kilometers of the shoreline?
about 30%
about 60%
about 70%
Sea level rise contributes to more frequent flooding in which of these coastal areas?
Venice, Italy
Tuvalu
Bangladesh
All of the answers given.
The leading cause of coral bleaching over the past 20 years is:
Runoff or pollutants
Overexposure to sunlight
Rising ocean temperatures
Low tides
The acidity of a substance is measured using the pH scale. Ocean water has a pH of approximately 8. That means ocean water is fairly neutral — and slightly basic. However, in the past 100-200 years, scientists have observed that ocean water has become approximately what percent more acidic due to human greenhouse gas emissions?
40%
30%
5%
10%
