PTQ: SS Flashcards
Which of the following events is considered a marker for the beginning of the Holocene?
the end of the last ice age
According to scholars, around what year did the Anthropocene era begin?
1950
What did Eunice Newton Foote claim about the interaction between atmospheric gases and solar rays in the mid-19th century?
Atmospheric gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor could raise Earth’s temperature by trapping solar heat
Why is the Late Holocene referred to as the Meghalayan Stage/Age?
It refers to a mineral deposit found in a cave in northeast India.
Which city in Iraq became a focal point for oil extraction due to a discovery in 1927?
Kirkuk
What is the primary purpose of ice core sampling?
to study historical atmospheric conditions
Who does the book Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway identify as responsible for spreading doubt about climate change?
a small group of influential individuals
What significant contribution did Rachel Carson’s 1962 book Silent Spring make?
It demonstrated that pesticide use could rapidly transform ecosystems and disrupt natural processes.
What was the primary goal of the Kyoto Protocol adopted in 1997?
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
What percentage of global greenhouse gas emissions is contributed by fossil fuels, according to the United Nations?
75%
What term is used to describe the stage in climate change where the effects become irreversible due to
positive feedbacks?
tipping point
What was the key claim made by NASA scientist James E. Hansen during his testimony before the U.S.
Senate in 1988?
He testified that human-induced greenhouse effects were responsible for climate change.
By approximately how much did the global human population increase between 1930 and the present?
4 times, it quadrupled
What did scholars conclude about warming periods in China’s history?
Warming periods aligned with population growth and societal development.
In what year did the U.S. Chamber of Commerce first acknowledge that humans contribute to climate
change?
2019
What does coral sampling in the ocean help to determine?
past temperatures of oceans
How did the Little Ice Age (LIA) impact parts of Africa?
it decreased rainfall and brought more frequent droughts
In the summer of 2023, what heat index was recorded in Iran?
158º Faranheit
Which president signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law on August 16, 2022, providing the largest source of government funding for climate-related issues in U.S. history?
President Joe Biden
What were the primary causes of the Little Ice Age (LIA)?
volcanic eruptions and periods of reduced solar activity
What type of investments are targeted by the Justice40 Initiative?
investments in underserved communities focused on clean energy, housing, and infrastructure
According to NOAA, how much more frequent is high-tide flooding now compared to 50 years ago?
300% to 900% more frequent
What are the layers of the atmosphere listed from lowest to highest altitude?
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
How many times did the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advocate against climate action out of 39 policies in 2022?
25 times
What are the three components of the triple planetary crisis?
climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss
What was the decision of the International Union of Geological Sciences regarding the Anthropocene in March of 2024?
They rejected the proposal to name it as a new epoch.
In the United States in 2020, methane and nitrous oxide accounted for less than __% of greenhouse gas emissions.
20%
What intervals define the Milankovitch cycles related to Earth’s climate changes?
100,000 years, 41,000 years, and 26,000 years
What major natural disaster in 2022 caused 156 fatalities and resulted in $112 billion in damages?
Hurricane Ian
Which statement BEST explains the global significance of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in shaping world history?
The LIA contributed to colder temperatures in some regions, which coincided with European expansion and the rise o colonialism.
How did British colonial influence impact the development of cities in oil-rich regions like Iraq?
It strained relationships through geopolitical control
What tactic did British Petroleum (BP) and its marketing company develop to shift focus from collective
climate action?
the carbon-footprint concept
Which rivers provided the main water supply for early Mesopotamian societies?
the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Which scientist began regularly measuring carbon dioxide levels in the air from Mauna Loa, Hawaii?
Charles David Keeling
Which three countries were the largest producers of oil in 2022?
the US, Saudi Arabia, and Russia
What is a “proxy” in the context of studying past climate conditions?
a natural feature that shows evidence of past climate impacts
Who served as the first chair of the IPCC from 1988 to 1998?
Bert Bolin
What year did historian Michael McCormick assert as the worst year to be alive?
536 CE
Which two organizations collaborated in 1967 to create the Global Atmospheric Research Program (GARP)?
ICSU and WMO
What was the reason Phoenix, Arizona, received news attention in the summer of 2023?
for record-breaking heat
What event was created based on Lloyd Berkner’s suggestion to study global geophysical activities?
The International GeoPhysical Year
What is another name for the Middle Holocene Subseries/Subepoch?
Northgrippian Stage/Age
Which organization voted in favor of treating the Anthropocene as a formal geological epoch in 2019?
the Anthropocene Working Group
What are the four basic subsystems identified in Earth System Science (ESS)?
geosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere
