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ESYS102 W18 Final Exam Flashcards | StudBud
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ESYS102 W18 Final Exam
ESYS102 W18 Final Exam
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The W18 Final Exam is provided as review and practice.
Flashcards
100 cards
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Practice quiz
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Host live
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Questions
100
Answers
1
Redbeds, paleosols and mass-dependent sulfur fractionation are evidence for ___
low atmospheric CO2 levels
B.high atmospheric O2 levels
low atmospheric O2 levels
high atmospheric CO2 levels
2
Water vapor produced by increasing surface temperature traps outgoing infrared radiation.
true
false
3
Volcanic eruptions
Provide a negative feedback loop for surface temperature
Release particles, ash, and gases into the atmosphere
None of thes
4
Talik is…
Formed when water vapor in the atmosphere is supercooled
The unfrozen ground located beneath the permafrost layer.
A piece of unfrozen ground surrounded by permafrost.
A modification of surface topography.
5
Which one of these glacial-climate feedbacks is NOT positive?
Iron fertilization
shelf nutrient hypothesis
terrestrial biomass
coral reef hypothesis
6
An example of a positive feedback loop is
One positive coupling and one negative coupling
Two negative couplings
None of these
Three negative couplings
7
The biological pump…
Is vital to thermohaline circulation
Causes CO2 enrichment of the deep ocean
Increases magma eruptions at the center of mid-ocean ridges.
Does not occur in nearshore environments
8
4.6 billion years is the approximate age of the…
None of these
All of these
Earth
Solar System
9
Without feedbacks, global mean temperature change from doubled CO2 concentrations would be
1.2 degree K
Much smaller than 0.1 degree K
20 degree K
0.1 degree K
10
CO2 released by human activities ends up
In the ocean
All of these
In the atmosphere
In terrestrial plants
11
If a governing body plans to create carbon taxes that address intergenerational equity
Their discount rate should be low
A discount rate should not be used
Older people should pay a higher carbon taxe
Their discount rate should be high
12
Mid-latitude westerlies result from
The Coriolis effect
Salinity
Gravity
All of these
13
Plate tectonics
is a scientific fact on planet Earth
is one of the alternatives to continental drift
is a theory that requires testing
requires only minimal expansion of the Earth
14
The Continuous Habitable Zone (CHZ) around a star
is defined only for "life as we know it"
Depends on the luminosity of the star
is defined in terms of a specific time interval
All of these
15
Ozone in the troposphere
Is an important factor in producing smog
Acts as a UV radiation shield
Is an important factor in producing the ozone hole
16
The albedo of the Earth increases with
All of these
The area covered by clouds
The land area covered by snow and ice
The ocean area covered by sea ice
17
Mars is a cold planet because
A and B
it is too far from the sun
Asteroids from the asteroid belt keep impacting it
it is too small to maintain a dense atmosphere
18
___ waves have vertical motion, ___ waves are horizontal.
Rayleigh, Love
Rayleigh, P
Love, Rayleigh
Love, P
19
Which is NOT one of the five steps in forming the ozone hole?
Vortex isolates pollutants
Sun causes photochemistry
PSCs condense forming particles
Chapman cycle makes ozone
20
Which terresrial planets likely had abundant water soon after their formation?
Earth
Venus
Mars
All of these
21
The ozone layer is found in which part of the atmosphere?
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
22
Some important common resources are not valued in cost-benefit analysis because they are
Externalities
Gyres
Plants
All of these
23
The theory that eukaryotes' organelles evolved from digested prokaryotes is called what?
Cell theory
Endosymbiotic theory
All of these
Germ theory
24
What is the most abundant element in the solid inner core?
Quartz
Silicon
Magnesium
Iron
25
The Cambrian Explosion is often cited as evidence for what?
An increase in atmospheric oxygen
None of these
A period with multiple meteor impacts
The advent of photosynthesis
26
Why might melting permafrost be important for climate change?
increased CFC emissions
10m of sea level rise
None of these
increased CH4 emissions
27
Which of the following is important for maintaining levels of atmospheric oxygen?
All of these
Milankovitch Cycles
Burial of organic carbon
Formation of limestone
28
Seawater becomes denser and sinks when
Water warms giving it more downward velocity
Water evaporates making it saltier.
Water condenses making it saltier
Water warms making it denser
29
The ozone hole was largely caused by
Hadley cells
The Atlantic Conveyor Belt
Jerry Brown
Man-made CFCs
30
Surface ocean currents are controlled by
All of these
Phytoplankton
Surface winds
Gravity
31
Milankovitch Cycles are…
Changes in Earth's orbit over time
Changes in ocean currents over time
None of these
Not the cause of glacial and interglacial cycles
32
Atmospheric CO2 concentrations are affected by which of the following?
Volcanoes
Combustion of fossil fuels
Respiration and decay
Tropical deforestation
33
The Intertropical Convergence Zone
All of these
Causes drought
Has low atmospheric pressure at the surface
Changes position seasonally
34
Which type of plate boundary listed below is LEAST associated with volcanic activity?
Transform faults
Mid-ocean ridges
Deep Ocean trenches
Continental rifts
35
Which value is closest to the current atmospheric CO2 concentration?
400 ppm
200 ppm
100 ppm
300 ppm
36
As solar luminosity increases over geologic time, models predict that
Water vapor and temperature increase, increasing weathering
Water vapor levels will decrease, decreasing weathering
Atmospheric CO2 levels will increase.
None of these
37
At what rate is the Sun's luminosity increasing?
1% every 10,000 years
A constant increment each year
the sun luminosity is actually decreasing
1% every 100 Myr
38
Which of these waves travel through the outer core?
Love waves
S waves
P waves
Rayleigh waves
39
Which type of cloud would you expect to have the lowest albedo?
Cumulonimbus
Cumulus
Stratus
Cirrus
40
Examples of natural forcings on the Earth system are
Volcanic emissions
Two of these
Fossil fuel combustion
Sunspots
41
It is less likely to have a habitable planet around a hot blue star because
The planet would need to have a highly developed ozone layer
Two of these
Blue stars do not remain for long periods of time.
Blue stars do not emit an adequate amount of light for life.
42
The oldest oceanic crust is
65 million years old
180 million years old
542 million years old
2.4 billion years old
43
What is the most common form of dissolved inorganic carbon in the ocean?
calcium carbonate
Bicarbonate ions
carbonate ions
Carbon dioxide
44
Which elements have isotopes commonly used as climate proxies?
Uranium
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Potassium
45
Who introduced Continental drift?
Alfred J. Hitchcok
Alfred B. Nobel
Alfred L. Wegener
Alfred E. Neuman
46
Which is the cyclic period for eccentricity of Earth's orbit?
41,000 years
19,000 years
100,000 years
23,000 years
47
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge has a slower spreading rate than the East Pacific rise, causing….
The Americas to decrease in size.
No significant changes to ocean or continent size.
The Pacific Ocean to increase in size.
The Atlantic Ocean to increase in size.
48
The total annual flux of carbon dioxide (CO2) INTO the atmosphere includes approximately
300 Gt C per year from cement making
8 Gt C per year from fossil fuel combustion
150 Gt C per year from deforestation
22 Gt C per year from photosynthesis
49
Methanogens…
Require oxygen
Consume methane
Produce methane
50
The Montreal protocol
Called for developed nations to cut CO2 emissions
Was not signed by the US government
Reduced the use of CFCs
51
The presence of an oxygen band in an exoplanet spectrum
indicates that biotic activity takes place on that planet
means that this planet hosts extraterrestrial intelligence
None of these
indicates that life arose but died on that planet
52
The tilt of the Earth's axis is called…
Precession
Obliquity
Eccentricity
None of these
53
What is the main source of atmospheric oxygen?
Respiration
Hydrothermal vents
None of these
Photosynthesis
54
The Giant Impact Hypothesis is a theory that explains
how pleistocene megafauna regulated atmospheric CO2
the end of the age of dinosaurs
the breakup of Pangea
None of these
55
The Earth's 100,000 year periodicity correlates to inter-glacial interval
Perihelion
eccentricity
Precession
Obliquity
56
Compared to visible light, ___ has a ___ wavelength and ___ energy.
Ultraviolet radiation, shorter, less
Ultraviolet, longer, more
Infrared radiation, longer, less
Ultraviolet, shorter, more
57
Man-made forcings from fossil fuel combustion emissions cause
Both warming and cooling
Warming
Photosynthesis
Cooling
58
Why isn't continental crust subducted at continent-continent convergence zones?
Continental crust is denser than the athenosphere
Continents are all close to the equator
It is too buoyant and can’t sink into the asthenosphere
the Coriolis effect prevents it
59
Temperature of Earth with albedo 0.3 but no greenhouse effect would be
303 K
255 K
288 K
0 K
60
What is the goal of the IPCC?
The development of geoengineering to combat climate change.
To predict and inform the public about future earthquakes.
To set discount rates for carbon taxes .
Provide an objective view of climate change and its impacts.
61
Which country emits the most CO2 per capita?
Japan
USA
China
India
62
A 'snowball earth' period is
None of these
A description of Neanderthal early humans
A result of Milankovitch cycles
The result of a positive feedback loop
63
Which geoengineering solution listed below has NOT been tested
Releasing fossil fuel emissions above the troposphere
Placing a large mirror between the Earth and Sun
Marine cloud brightening
Stratospheric aerosol injection
64
How old is the Moon compared to Earth?
They have the same age
about 500 million years younger
about 50 million years younger
about 50 million years older
65
Which molecule(s) currently causes the most radiative on Earth?
CH4
CO2
SO2
N2O
66
Europa could host life because of:
Jupiter tides keeping the interior warm
A & B
a planet-wide sub-ice liquid ocean
cometary impacts melt the external ice layer
67
When do macro-fossils become abundant in the fossil record?
543 million years ago
2.4 billion years ago
65 million years ago
7 million years ago
68
One commonly cited explanation for cooling during the Cenozoic is…
Increased weathering
All of these
Building of the Himalayas
Collision of Indian and Eurasian Plates
69
Temperature increases with altitude in the
Thermosphere and stratosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Troposphere and Stratosphere
70
Why was the Mesozoic a warm period?
The sun luminosity was greater at the time
Grazing of C4 plants by dinosaurs produced excess CH4
Ice-albedo feedback caused icecaps to melt away
Reptiles migrated to high latitudes (Alaska and Siberia)
71
The natural carbon cycle (in terms of GtC/yr) does NOT have a large contribution from
Respiration and decay
Photosynthesis
Volcanoes
72
Shear stress from glaciers sliding over uneven bedrock topography creates
subglacial lakes
ice sheets
icebergs
crevasses
73
Who used a high discount rate (3%) in arguing that optimal carbon taxes should be low?
Nordhaus
Trump
Stern
Gore
74
Which does not provide evidence for Snowball Earth events?
Magnetic inclination
Tillite
Dropstones
Ice core record
75
Life is not possible on a planet too close to its parent star because
The planet could be tidally locked to the star
All of these
The planet surface might melt
A runaway greenhouse effect is likely if water is present
76
What is the CO2 compensation point?
The critical level of CO2 for respiration to occur
The critical level of CO2 for photosynthesis to occur
The critical level of CO2 for silicate weathering
The critical level of CO2 for runaway greenhouse warming
77
Which chlorine compound is inert?
None of these
Cl
ClO
ClONO2
78
In what eon was the "heavy Bombardment" period?
Archean
Phanerozoic
Hadean
Promethean
79
Economists who argue for a low discount rate are implying that
Society today is NOT very concerned about future damages
Dollars spent today are wasted
Society today is very concerned about future damages
Future generations will have cheaper alternatives
80
About how much sea level rise would occur if all of Earth's ice sheets melted completely?
57m globally
64m globally
sea level would not rise
64m in the Atlantic, but 57m in the Indian ocean
81
IPCC future scenarios are primarily based upon
Economic growth
Alternative energy abundance
Population growth
All of these
82
Which fossil fuel produces the most CO2 per unit of energy?
Natural gas
Coal
Nuclear
Oil
83
The iron fertilization hypothesis says :
dust decreases productivity, lowering atmospheric CO2
dust increases ocean productivity, lowering atmospheric CO2
the first life evolved on reduced banded iron formations
Earth's core arose from oxidized interplanetary dust
84
What is the planetary albedo of Earth?
0.1
0.7
0.3
0.5
85
The Chapman mechanism involves:
Photolysis of ozone
Photolysis of oxygen
All of these
Production of ozone
86
How many main glacial episodes has Earth experienced?
6
3
11
9
87
By volume, most of the planet's ice is in the form of:
Ice sheets
Glaciers
Permafrost
Sea Ice
88
When did the ozone layer become thick enough to provide an effective UV screen?
About 540 million years ago
About 4.6 billion years ago
About 2.0 billion years ago
About 3.8 billion years ago
89
In the hypothetical "Daisy World," daisies are…
Two of these
A positive forcing
A negative feedback (coupling) on temperature
A positive feedback (coupling) on temperature
90
The higher solar heating at the equator than the poles causes
Westerlies
Easterlies
Poleward air transport, including Hadley Cells
All of these
91
Ozone is produced and destroyed by
Water vapor
Combustion
Ultraviolet radiation
All of these
92
The Carbon Cycle
Describes the flow of Carbon-containing compounds
Includes terrestrial and marine reservoirs
Is affected by both organic and inorganic components
All of these
93
Earth is at perihelion when:
when the number of sunspots is at a maximum
when the Earth is farthest from the sun
when the number of sunspots is at a minimum
when the Earth is closest to the sun
94
Detrital pyrite and uraninite in sedimentary rocks inidcate
Low atmospheric oxygen
Low dissolved iron concentrations
High atmospheric oxygen
High dissolved iron concentrations
95
Hadley Cells…
Shift according to the seasons
All of these
Have convergent flow at Earth's surface near the equator
Cause bands of aridity at around 30 degrees N and S
96
Methanogenesis…
All of these
Is the source of some fossil fuel deposits
Occurs in anoxic environments
Is a type of microbial metabolism
97
Which is (are) the most likely solution(s) to the Faint Young Sun Paradox?
Lower albedo
High atmospheric CO2 concentration
Low atmospheric methane concentration
None of these
98
Climate engineering in the form of solar reflection by stratospheric aerosols
Is too small to offset greenhouse gas warming
All of these
Reduces atmospheric CO2
Will not reduce ocean acidification
99
The δ18O measure of oxygen isotope abundance in marine sediments during a cooler climate:
increases
is not related to climate
decreases
Remains the same
100
The relative sizes of carbon reservoirs, from largest to smallest, is
Limestone, fossil fuels, atmosphere, biomass
Atmosphere, fossil fuels, biomass, limestone
Fossil fuels, limestone, atmosphere, biomass
Biomass, fossil fuels, limestone, atmosphere
