ATMO 336, section 001 -- Exam 3 Name ____________________

Section 1 -- Multiple Choice (2.5 Points Each)

NOTE: For true/false questions, if any part of any statement is false, then the answer is false. Only if all statements are true is the answer true.

1. Numerical weather forecast models are often run forward two weeks into the future, and thus produce forecast weather conditions 14 days into the future. However, research has shown that beyond about 10 days into the future, the models have little skill in predicting the weather. This means that one can guess the weather conditions 10 days into the future just as accurately as predicted by the forecast models.

(a) True (b) False

2. Which of the following climate changes will likely have the most impact on the plants and animals living in a particular ecosystem?

(a) Increase in the average surface temperature of 2° F, but no increase in the number of days per year that get hotter than 100° F.

(b) No increase in the average surface temperature, but a 10% increase in the number of days per year that get hotter than 100° F.

3. Last winter season (2004-2005), Cleveland, OH broke its all-time snowfall record. This is a good argument that global warming is not occurring.

(a) True (b) False

4. Consider two cities located at the same latitude. One city is a coastal city (located on the ocean), while the other is an inland city (located away from the coast). In general, the coastal city will have _________ compared to the inland city.

(a) Warmer summers and warmer winters

(b) Warmer summers and colder winters

(d) Colder summers and warmer winters

5. About half of all of the Sun’s radiation energy that hits the planet Earth is absorbed by the oceans and the land surface (including objects on the land surface).

(a) True (b) False

6. Most of the photons emitted from the surface of the Earth (land surface and oceans) __________ .

(a) are reflected back to the surface by atmospheric gases and clouds

(b) are absorbed by atmospheric gases and clouds

Use the following information to help answer questions 7-9

The weather forecast for a winter morning in Tucson calls for calm winds, clear skies, a dew point temperature of 10° F, and a low temperature of 30° F.

7. Suppose instead of calm winds, it remains breezy overnight. How will this likely affect the morning low temperature?

(a) The low temperature is more likely to be warmer than 30° F.

(b) The low temperature is more likely to be colder than 30° F.

8. Suppose instead clear skies, it becomes cloudy overnight. How will this likely affect the morning low temperature?

(a) The low temperature is more likely to be warmer than 30° F.

(b) The low temperature is more likely to be colder than 30° F.

9. Suppose that the overnight dew point temperature is actually 0° F instead of 10° F. How will this likely affect the morning low temperature?

(a) The low temperature is more likely to be warmer than 30° F.

(b) The low temperature is more likely to be colder than 30°

10. For which of the following two regions of the Earth is the radiation energy emitted to space greater than the radiation energy absorbed from the Sun.

(a) Arctic and Antarctic regions

(b) Tropical regions

11. The atmosphere becomes unstable because the Earth’s surface emits more radiation energy than it absorbs, while the atmosphere absorbs more radiation energy than it emits.

(a) True (b) False

12. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has _________ since 1750.

(a) increased by about 10% (c) doubled (increased by 100%)

(b) increased by about 33% (d) more than tripled

13. With regard to the carbon cycle, photosynthesis is a _______ for carbon stored in the atmosphere.

(a) source (b) sink

14. On a per molecule basis, which greenhouse gas(es) is (are) the largest contributor(s) to the greenhouse effect [also called the global warming potential]?

(a) Carbon dioxide

(b) Methane

(d) CFCs and their substitutes

15. The immediate goal of the Kyoto protocol was to eliminate all emissions of greenhouse gases?

(a) True (b) False

Climate models are often used to predict how much warmer the Earth’s surface temperature would be if the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere were increased to twice what is was in 1850. Most models predict a warmer surface. However, most of the warming is not directly caused by the increased carbon dioxide, but rather by a ____(16)___ feedback mechanism involving _____(17)____ .

16. (a) positive (b) negative

17. (a) snow/ice melting (c) increases in water vapor (b) plant fertilization (d) decreases in cloud cover

18. Large areas of permafrost soils are located in Northern Canada and Siberia. These soils contain large amounts of stored methane. When permafrost soils melt, much of the stored methane will be released into the atmosphere.

Consider the following sequence of events:

· Humans add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere

· Surface temperatures warm

· Permafrost soils melt, releasing large quantities of methane into the atmosphere.

With respect to global warming, the above sequence of events is a ___________.

(a) Negative feedback process

(b) Positive feedback process

19. We rely on computer models of global climate to predict what will happen as greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere increase. Which statement about predictions of climate models is most correct?

(a) Nearly all models predict that global average temperature will increase, but they differ in exactly how much warming will occur.

(b) The model predictions are all over the place with respect to global average surface temperature – some models predict that global average temperature will increase, some models predict that global average temperature will decrease, and some models predict no change in global average temperature.

20. Assuming that global warming does occur, the one side effect (of the choices given) that we are most certain about is ______________ .

(a) the number of hurricanes will increase

(b) farming production in the U.S. will decline (too hot), but farming production in Canada and Russia will increase (longer growing season).

(d) sea level will rise

21. The most recent ice age cycles on Earth (over the last two million years) were most likely triggered by ___________ .

(a) changes in the positions of the continents

(b) variations in Earth's orbit around the Sun

(d) volcanic eruptions which eject massive amounts of aerosols into the atmosphere

22. A land bridge connecting Russia with Alaska formed during an ________ when sea levels were ________ .

(a) interglatial warm period ; much higher than today

(b) interglatial warm period ; much lower than today

(d) ice age ; much lower than today

23. Prior to the Pleistocene Epoch, there is much evidence indicating that the average surface temperature of the Earth was much warmer than it is today, with no permanent polar ice caps.

(a) True (b) False

24. Which of the following past climatic periods on Earth ended most recently (around 1850)?

(a) Climatic Optimum

(b) Medieval Warm Period

(d) Younger Dryas

25. There has been a measurable rise in global average temperature since 1900. Which of the following statements is most generally correct?

(a) Daytime high temperatures have increased more than nighttime low temperatures.

(b) Nighttime low temperatures have increased more than daytime high temperatures.

26. Even during this recent period of global average warming, some localized regions of the Earth have experienced a cooling trend over the last 100 years.

(a) True (b) False

27. Climate change has occurred throughout Earth’s history. However, due to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the global average temperature today is higher than at any other time in Earth’s history.

(a) True (b) False

28. Global average surface temperatures from 1990 through today are warmer than at any other time since 1860. This statement is _______________ .

(a) almost certainly true

(b) believed to be true by many people, but it is difficult to back up with evidence

ATMO 336 – Section 001 Name ______________________________

Exam 3 – Answer sheet Last 4 Digits of Student ID _____________

1. a b c d 15. a b c d

2. a b c d 16. a b c d

3. a b c d 17. a b c d

4. a b c d 18. a b c d

5. a b c d 19. a b c d

6. a b c d 20. a b c d

7. a b c d 21. a b c d

8. a b c d 22. a b c d

9. a b c d 23. a b c d

10. a b c d 24. a b c d

11. a b c d 25. a b c d

12. a b c d 26. a b c d

13. a b c d 27. a b c d

14. a b c d 28. a b c d

ATMO 336 – Section 001 Name ____________________

Exam 3 – Short Answer Sheet

Question # _____

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