quiz 5

Question 1

biosphere

Answer 1

total sum of organisms on earth

• plants
• animals
• microorganisms

Question 2

pedosphere

Answer 2

outermost layer of earth, is composed of soil

Question 3

geosphere

Answer 3

below pedosphere

consists mostly of rock

Question 4

hydrosphere

Answer 4

combined mass of water found on, under, and over the surface of eath

Question 5

atmosphere

Answer 5

layer of gases surrounding earth that are retained by Earth’s gravity

Question 6

Greenhouse effect

Answer 6

radiation from a planet’s atmosphere warms the planet’s surface to a
temperature above what it would be without an atmosphere; natural warming mostly from
water vapor

Question 7

Ocean “biologic pump”

Answer 7

phytoplankton convert CO2 to organics via photosynthesis

Question 8

Ocean solubility pump

Answer 8

cold water takes up CO2 and sinks at high latitudes; warm waters at
low latitudes release CO2 back to the atmosphere

Question 9

Anthropogenic

Answer 9

human-induced impacts like land use change, fossil fuel burning;
two biggest CO2 emission contributors – U.S. and China

Question 10

current CO2 levels

Answer 10

levels now exceed 400 ppm in Earth’s atmosphere; continues to increase

• 418.81
• measurements go back 800,00 from ancient ice core
• keeling curve
• seasonal oscillations
• mauna loa hawaii observation

Question 11

Short-Term Organic C Cycle

Answer 11

• Transfer rates are large (fast), but the reservoirs are relatively small
• Soil-plant systems; atmosphere-shallow ocean

Question 12

Long-Term Organic C Cycle

Answer 12

• Transfer rates are relatively small (slow), but the reservoirs are large
• Rocks; oil & gas deposits; deep ocean

Question 13

Long Term Inorganic Carbon Cycle

Answer 13

incorporation of carbon 
in limestone (CaCO3) in the World’s oceans

Question 14

water vapor

Answer 14

• Most of the ‘natural’ greenhouse warming on Earth is due to water
vapor and small particles of water in the atmosphere

Question 15

carbon

Answer 15

Carbon is the main component of biological compounds, and aspects
of the carbon cycle play a huge role in the persistence of life on Earth

Question 16

photosynthesis

Answer 16

Take up 6co2 + 6h2o (+ light energy) –> c6h1206 + 6o2

Plants and trees are carbon “store houses”
• In mature forests, CO2 sequestered is equal to CO2 released via decay –> no
net CO2 sequestration
• Less mature forests, however, involve additional growth –> increase in net CO2
uptake
• Up to 20% of the carbon that has been acquired through photosynthesis can
be released into soil as root exudates – carbon compounds secreted by roots
• This carbon is oxidized and degraded by fungi and bacteria –> biomass and
CO2

Question 17

greenhouse gases

Answer 17

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are assigned a global warming potential
(GWP) value. GWP is a weighted value identifying the warming
potential of a gas relative to the equivalent mass of CO2.
• GWP values: CO2=1, methane=28-36, N2O=265-298
-china is number 1
-us number 2

Question 18

positive climate forces

Answer 18

events that warm earth

• energy from sun increases
• ghg conc increases

Question 19

negative climate forcing

Answer 19

events that cool earth

• volcanus eruptions
• global diming
• increased particles in earths atmosphere

Question 20

climate change indicators

Answer 20

reduced ice and snow cover
-permafrost melting; sea level rise;

• increase in average global temperature;
• ice shelf collapse;
• coral reefs degrade

Question 21

where are effects being felt

Answer 21

Effects of global climate change are being felt most strongly at high latitudes
toward Earth’s poles, where high rates of ice melt are occurring

Question 22

ancient co2 conc

Answer 22

• Use glacial ice from locations such as the Greenland Ice Cap
• Ice contains trapped air bubbles – these air bubbles may be analyzed to
determine atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and methane when the ice
formed

Question 23

volcanic forcing

Answer 23

During eruptions, vast amounts of particulate
material are ejected into the atmosphere
• Aerosol particles reflect a significant amount of sunlight, and may produce a
net cooling effect

Question 24

global dimming

Answer 24

may limit some of the effects of warming (up to 50%?).

• increased particulate pollution in atmosphere reflects light – lead to cooling

Question 25

Alternatively

Answer 25

White ice reflects sunlight (absorbs less), while dark rock & ocean reflect less
sunlight (absorbs more) –> once warming starts, it speeds up, and causes
more warming
Reduce ice and snow cover reveals darker land surface that will
adsorb sun radiation – warming can occur

Question 26

Ice sheet cases study

Answer 26

Greenland + Antarctic ice sheets 
contain 99% of freshwater on Earth
Antarctic Ice Sheet contains 30 million 
cubic km of ice 
f the Greenland Ice Sheet melted, it’s 
estimated that sea level would rise ~ 6 
meters
If the Antarctic Ice Sheet melted, sea 
level would rise ~ 60 meters

Question 27

Mitigation

Answer 27

steps taken to avoid or minimize negative environmental impacts
CO2: To stabilize carbon dioxide concentrations at a level below the ‘tipping points’

Question 28

Adaptation

Answer 28

adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or
expected climatic stimuli or their effects

Question 29

Climate tipping point

Answer 29

an abrupt and irreversible change in the climate system;

can be global or regional

Question 30

Immediate climate threats

Answer 30

Disappearance of Arctic Summer Ice; Melting of Greenland Ice
Sheet; Disintegration of West Antarctic Ice Sheet; Collapse of Coral Reefs

Question 31

Geo-engineering

Answer 31

Reduce the content of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere:
reforestation;
iron fertilize oceans;
deep geologic storage of CO2;
CO2 air capture or capture with membranes at power plants
grow and develop special biological organisms
renewables
increases efficiency
nuclear energy/geothermal

alter climate system-restore global energy balance by management of solar radiation
reduce ghg
space solar shields
mimic volcanoes in stratosphere inject so2
cloud seeding vua shop s
increase reflectivity (albedo) of the surface

Question 32

Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC)

Answer 32

United Nations (UN) organization whose function is to provide comprehensive 
objective assessments of the science of climate change

Question 33

Energy Justice

Answer 33

refers to the goal of achieving equity in both the social and economic
participation in the energy system.

Question 34

Climate Justice

Answer 34

acknowledges climate change can have differing social, economic, public
health, and other adverse impacts on underprivileged populations.
The poorest countries and people should be supported by those who have
contributed most to climate change.

Question 35

Environmental Justice

Answer 35

fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people
regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development,
implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.
Examples include inadequate access to healthy food, inadequate transportation, air
and water pollution, and unsafe homes.

Question 36

risk/hazard assesment

Answer 36

frequency
magnitude
scope

Question 37

Paris Accord of 2016

Answer 37

limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 oC, compared to pre-industrial levels
The longer we wait, the greater difficulty there will be in hitting
the CO2 emissions reduction targets!

Question 38

Positive feedbacks

Answer 38

• co2 emissions
• ice albedo
• water vapor
• wildfires
• methane hydrates
• ice sheet collapse

Question 39

negative feedbacks

Answer 39

• carbon (iron fertilization)
• cloud albedo
• aerosols (volcanic, man)

Question 40

Carbon offsets

Answer 40

a reduction or removal of emissions of carbon dioxide or other
greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere