WorksheetsRms Amplify Earth's Changing Climate
Total questions: 19
Worksheet time: 10mins
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 amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface during this time?
During this time, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface
stayed at a constant level.
changed unpredictably.
increased.
decreased.
Geologists have found rocks showing that about 700 million years ago, there was a time period when the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased. How did energy in the Earth system change during this time?
There was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy entered than exited.
There was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because lessenergy entered than exited.
There was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because moreenergy entered than exited.
There was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy entered than exited.
There are some bacteria that release methane into the atmosphere. Scientists think that if the number of these bacteria decreased, the amount of methane in the atmosphere would decrease.
What would happen to energy in the Earth system if the atmosphere had less methane?Energy in the Earth system would
decrease, because less energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would beredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
decrease, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would beredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
decrease, because less energy would enter than exit. This is because less energy would be trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.
increase, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less energy from the sun would beredirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
Some scientists found that millions of years ago, there was a time when the number of trees increased very quickly, leading to a decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What would you predict about the amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface during this time?
During this time, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface
increased.
decreased.
stayed at a consistent level.
changed unpredictably.
Scientists have tools that measure the amount of energy entering and exiting the Earth system. Recently, more energy entered the system than exited.
What might scientists expect to see in the atmosphere, and what has changed about energy in the Earth system?
Methane decreased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
Methane decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
Methane increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
Methane increased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
Ice core data from Greenland indicates there was a time period on Earth when the atmosphere changed so more energy entered the system than exited.
What change to the atmosphere could have caused this and how would it have affected energy on Earth during that time?
Carbon dioxide increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more exiting energy wasredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Carbon dioxide increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less exiting energy wasredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because less energy from the sun was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
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?
During this time, energy absorbed by Earth’s surface
stayed at a constant level.
changed unpredictably.
decreased.
increased.
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?
There should be
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.
From about 120 to 80 million years ago, scientists think that a large amount of carbon dioxide was released from rock on the ocean floor, which led to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What happened to energy in the Earth system during this time?
Energy in the Earth system
increased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because more energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.
decreased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because more energy from the sun wasredirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
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?
When methane decreases, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface should
change unpredictably.
stay at a constant level.
increase.
decrease.
Fossil evidence from the time of Tyrannosaurus rex (85–65 million years ago) shows less energy entered the Earth system than exited, even though energy from the sun didn’t change. How might the amount of carbon dioxide changed to cause this, and how would that have changed the energy absorbed by Earth’s surface??
Carbon dioxide decreased so there was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
Carbon dioxide decreased so there was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
Carbon dioxide increased so there was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
Carbon dioxide increased so there was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.
A scientist says that even if the amount of energy entering the system from the sun doesn’t change, there can still be less energy entering than exiting the Earth system. What could change in the atmosphere that would cause this and what effect would this have on energy in the Earth system?
Methane could increase, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more exiting energy would be redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Methane could increase, leading to less energy in the Earth system because more energy from the sun would be redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
Methane could decrease, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less exiting energy would be redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Methane could decrease, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less energy would be trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.
Climate researchers are creating a computer simulation to help them understand changes in the Earth system. They want to use the simulation to see what happens when they increase the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What should their simulation show about energy absorbed by Earth’s surface?
When carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface should . . .
increase
decrease
stay at a constant level
change unpredictably
The graph above shows global temperature changes between the years 1880 and 2011. Which of the following best describes the changes seen in the graph?
The graph shows a trend of increasing temperature over time.
The graph shows the Annual Mean and 5-Year Mean have different trends.
The graph shows temperatures go up and down, with no trend.
The graph shows too much fluctuation to be confident about a trend.
What happens when energy hits sulfur dioxide?
When energy hits sulfur dioxide, more energy is created.
Sulfur dioxide traps some energy and holds it in the atmosphere.
Sulfur dioxide redirects (bounces) some incoming energy from the sun back toward outer space.
Energy always passes through sulfur dioxide.
The Karoo Ice Age started about 360 million years ago and lasted for about 40 million years. During this time, less energy entered the Earth system than exited. What is one change to the atmosphere that could have caused this?
Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.
Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Carbon dioxide increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Carbon dioxide increased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because more energy from the sun was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
Scientists who study the atmosphere often need to take samples of the atmosphere in order to learn more. They take some atmosphere samples near the ground. They take other atmosphere samples high in the air, while flying in a helicopter. What would the scientists find out about the samples?
Both samples are made of one kind of gas.
Both samples are made of a mix of several different kinds of gases.
Neither sample is made of anything.
The samples are different from each other because each gas forms its own layer in the atmosphere.
Eleanor wants to do an experiment in order to analyze what is in the atmosphere. What do you think she will find?
The atmosphere is made of one kind of gas.
The atmosphere is made of different kinds of gases, and each forms its own layer.
The atmosphere is made of a mix of different kinds of gases.
The atmosphere isn’t made of anything.
The Pleistocene Epoch lasted for about 2.6 million years. During this time, there were a few time periods when the amount of methane in the atmosphere decreased. What would scientists expect to observe about the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface during the time periods when methane decreased?
During these time periods, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface . . .
increased.
decreased.
stayed at a consistent level.
changed unpredictably.
