WorksheetsEarth's Changing Climate - Study Guide
Total questions: 100
Worksheet time: 51mins
The overall tendency (for example, a constant increase) in set of data over time is called a (a) .
The temperature of the Earth System (a) if the amount of energy in the system increases.
Energy absorption (a) with more gases, and decreases with less.
Although there are many ___________, there is a ________ toward increasing temperatures and decreasing ice on Earth since about 1880.
fluctuations, trend
trends, fluctuation
Overall tendency (for example, a consistent increase) in a set of data over time.
fluctuation
climate change
trend
absorb
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 methane in the atmosphere decreases?
decrease, because less energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would be redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
decrease, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would be redirected (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 be redirected (bounced) back toward outer space
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.
Good evidence shows trends over a long period of time instead of fluctuations within a short period of time
True
False
SELECT TWO:
Which two gases (when increased) cause an increase in temperature and energy absorbed and a decrease in ice?
Methane
Nitrogen Dioxide
Sulfur Dioxide
Carbon Dioxide
Scientists think that a large amount of carbon dioxide was released from rock on the ocean floor from 120 to 80 million years ago and that this 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 was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
Absorb means to....
put out
take in
Global average temperature increases when __________ absorbed by the surface increases.
air
gases
energy
What trend are we seeing in Earth's temperature?
Increase
Decrease
Stay the same
No trend
Sophia 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.
If less energy entered than exited the Earth's System, what is true about the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide or methane stayed the same
Carbon dioxide or methane decreased
Carbon dioxide or methane increased
The weather conditions in an area in general or over a long period.
Climate change
Energy
Temperature
Climate
What trend are we seeing in Earth's surface ice?
Increase
Decrease
Stay the same
No trend
If methane decreased, . . .
there would be more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy would enter than exit.
there would be more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy would enter than exit.
there would be less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy would enter than exit.
there would be less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy would enter than exit.
What happens when energy hits sulfer dioxide?
More energy is created.
Energy gets trapped and is held in the atmosphere.
Energy gets redirected back towards outer space.
Energy always passes right through.
Methane is a molecule that contains the following: (a)
(b)The overall tendency (for example, a constant increase) in set of data over time is called a (a) .
The overall tendency (for example, a constant increase) in set of data over time is called a (a) .
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 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.
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 temperatures go up and down, with no trend.
The graph shows the Annual Mean and 5-Year Mean have different trends.
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.
Thousands of years ago there was an Ice Age on Earth, then the Earth began to warm back up. During this time, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface . . .
stayed at a constant level.
changed unpredictably.
increased.
decreased.
Scientists are using a computer simulation to test ideas about climate on Earth. Looking at one period of time in the simulation, they notice that more energy entered the Earth system than exited. How might the amount of carbon dioxide have changed to cause this, and how would this have changed the energy in the Earth system?
carbon dioxide decreased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface.
carbon dioxide decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface.
carbon dioxide increased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface.
carbon dioxide increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface.
Scientists study tree rings to learn more about Earth’s past climate. They found a time period when the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased. What happened to energy in the Earth system when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased? Energy in the Earth system . . .
decreased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because less exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
decreased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because less exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
decreased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because less energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.
increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because less energy from the sun was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
What is one reason that carbon dioxide is increasing in the atmosphere today?
There are more volcanoes than there were in the past.
People are riding bicycles instead of driving cars.
There are more people doing things that use combustion.
People are using solar power.
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.
Climate researchers in Greenland can use ice core samples to tell them about carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in the past. The researchers have found an ice core sample that shows there was a period when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased. What happened to the amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface during this time? During this time, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface . . .
decreased.
increased.
stayed at a constant level.
changed unpredictably.
Some bacteria produce methane during digestion. If the amount of these bacteria decreased a lot, the amount of methane in the atmosphere would decrease. What would happen to energy in the Earth system if this happened? If methane decreased, ...
there would be more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy would enter than exit.
there would be more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy would enter than exit.
there would be less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy would enter than exit.
there would be less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy would enter than exit.
What happened to energy in the Earth system when the amount of methane in the atmosphere increased?
increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
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 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 was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
When making an argument about how climate change is affecting the ice cover on Earth, which of the following would be the LEAST effective type of evidence to support your argument?
data tracking the amount of snowfall for the last 50 years
data tracking the surface temperature for the last 200 years
data tracking carbon dioxide levels for the last 100 years
data tracking glacier size for the last 2 years
What can humans do to help keep carbon dioxide and methane in Earth's atmosphere from increasing?
A.) Drive their cars less often
B.) Eat less meat so that fewer livestock need to be kept
Both A and B
C.) Humans can't affect the amount of carbon dioxide or methane in the atmosphere.
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.
In the last 5 million years of the Permian period in Earth's history, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. 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 less energy entered than exited.
There was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface, because more energy entered than exited.
There was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface, because more energy 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.
Climate scientists are working on a computer simulation to help them understand Earth's climate. Looking at one period of time in the simulation, they see that more energy entered the Earth system than exited. How could the amount of methane have changed to cause this, and what effect would this have on energy in the Earth system?
Methane increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Methane increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.
Methane decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.
Methane decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less energy from the sun was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.
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.
If the energy coming from the sun and the amount of carbon dioxide being put into the atmosphere otherwise stay the same, what would happen to the total amount of energy in the Earth system and to the global average temperature?
The total amount of energy and global average temperature would remain the same.
The total amount of energy would increase and global average temperature would rise.
The total amount of energy would decrease and global average temperature would fall.
The total amount of energy would remain the same but global average temperature would change.
How did what is occurring in the picture change the total amount of energy in the Earth system, and how did this change happen? How did this affect global average temperature?
It increased the total energy, causing a rise in global average temperature.
It decreased the total energy, causing a drop in global average temperature.
It did not change the total energy, so the global average temperature remained the same.
It caused fluctuations in energy, but no effect on global average temperature.
