Quiz Questions Flashcards

1
Q

Which of the following are statements related to CLIMATE (as opposed to weather)? Choose all that apply.

A
  • The highest average summertime temperature in Europe on record was in 2024
  • A persistent downward trend has been observed in Sierra Nevada snowpack since 1980
  • The likelihood of a very wet year following a very dry year in California is increasing
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2
Q

Where on Earth has the HIGHEST precipitation?

A
  • Near the equator, in the summer hemisphere
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3
Q

Averaged across all longitudes, where on Earth has the LOWEST precipitation?

A
  • The polar regions (90N and 90S)
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4
Q

Why does rain in the MIDLATITUDES tend to fall along the WEST coast of continents?

A
  • The storm track pushes air from west to east in the midlatitudes
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5
Q

What are some ways to describe MEDITERRANEAN climates? Choose all that apply.

A
  • Hot, dry summer
  • Wet winter
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6
Q

Which of the following is NOT a major component of the Earth system?

A
  • The Sun
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7
Q

Which of the following is NOT impacted (directly or indirectly) by human activity?

A
  • Volcanoes
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8
Q

Which of the following is NOT a climate threat in Northern California?

A
  • More intense, rainier hurricanes
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9
Q

Where on Earth is warming faster than average global temperatures? Select all that apply.

A
  • The Arctic
  • Over land
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10
Q

As a result of climate change, what kind of biome might we expect to find in the Sierra Nevada by end of century?

A
  • Woodland/shrubland
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11
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Temperatures are higher at the top of mountains because you are closer to the sun
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12
Q

Snow pillows are an example of…

A
  • A climate observation system
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13
Q

Among the following options, which region of the world is MOST VULNERABLE to drought?

A
  • Central Africa
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14
Q

Which of the following are likely to INCREASE everywhere under climate change? Select all that apply.

A
  • Rainfall from tropical cyclones (when they occur)
  • Intensity of tropical cyclones (when they occur)
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15
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply

A
  • California’s Great Flood of 1862 was only possible because of climate change
  • A 1000-year flood event is weaker than a 100-year flood event
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16
Q

What is the ORDER OF LAYERS in the Earth’s atmosphere (from bottom to top)?

A
  • Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere
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17
Q

At present and FROM LARGEST PROPORTION TO SMALLEST PROPORTION what is the order of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere?

A
  • water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous dioxide, CFCs
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18
Q

What is the MAIN REASON global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration varies seasonally?

A
  • Vegetation takes up CO2 to grow, and there is more vegetation in the northern hemisphere so when plants in this region are growing there is less atmospheric CO2
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19
Q

Where is the ozone layer located?

A
  • In the stratosphere between 20-30km altitude
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20
Q

Which of the following statements is FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapor are well mixed in the atmosphere (found in roughly equal proportion everywhere)
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21
Q

How many circulation cells (such as the Hadley cell) does the Earth have in each hemisphere?

A
  • 3
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22
Q

What climatological feature is associated with the subtropics (30N and 30S)?

A
  • Subsiding (descending) air
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23
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • In the Hadley cell, air rises in the subtropics and sinks near the equator
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24
Q

Which of the following IS NOT a feature of glacial periods in Earth’s history?

A
  • High humidity
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25
Q

In brief, what are Milankovitch cycles?

A

Variations in Earth’s orbit and tilt that drive differences in energy received from the sun

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26
Q

Which of the following can be used to estimate Antarctic temperatures from 50 million years ago? Select all that apply.

A
  • Ice cores
  • Benthic δ18O from ocean sediments
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27
Q

Which of the following can we learn from ice cores? Select all that apply.

A
  • How atmospheric carbon dioxide and temperature are related
  • The chemistry of the atmosphere over the past 800 thousand years
  • How much carbon dioxide is dissolved in the oceans
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28
Q

Despite atmospheric carbon dioxide levels being 20-30 times present day values in the distance past, why did the Earth not overheat?

A
  • Because the sun was much weaker in the distant past, higher CO2 levels were needed to keep the planet warm
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29
Q

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the greenhouse climates of Earth’s past?

A
  • Lower atmospheric carbon dioxide
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30
Q

Which mechanism allows the sun to warm the Earth?

A
  • Radiation
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31
Q

Which of the following statements is FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Warmer objects emit less long wavelength radiation than cooler objects
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32
Q

Which of the following statements is FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • The sun only emits radiation in the visible part of the radiative spectrum
  • Over the course of a year, a solar panel placed at the equator will generally produce more energy than a solar panel in the Sahara Desert
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33
Q

From LEAST ENERGETIC to MOST ENERGETIC order the following types of electromagnetic radiation:

A
  • Radio : Infrared : Visible : Ultraviolet
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34
Q

Consulting the plot on slide 21 of the Lecture 05 slide deck (reproduced below), under a cloudless sky approximately how much energy (in Watts per square meter) would you expect to receive at the equator on December 21st?

A
  • 400 W/m2
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35
Q

Which of the below factors DIRECTLY AFFECTS the wavelengths of radiation EMITTED by a black body? Select all that apply.

A
  • The temperature of the black body
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36
Q

Which of the below processes is PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE for the sky being blue?

A
  • Scattering
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37
Q

What is the basic scientific premise of the greenhouse effect?

A
  • Greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere absorb more terrestrial radiation, some of which is re-emitted back to the surface
38
Q

Which of the following land types has the lowest albedo?

A
  • Oceans
39
Q

Which of the following statement is FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Outside of the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, the atmosphere is mostly opaque to radiation.
  • Outside of the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, solar radiation is negligible.
40
Q

Approximately what percentage of incident solar radiation on the Earth is reflected back to space?

A
  • 30%
41
Q

Which of the following IS NOT a type of aerosol?

A
  • CFCs
42
Q

Why is PM2.5 dangerous?

A
  • PM2.5 aerosols are small enough to pass through the lungs into the blood stream and cause damage to DNA
43
Q

Which of the following, when in the atmosphere, has a net cooling effect on surface temperatures?

A
  • Organic carbon
44
Q

Which of the following regions IS NOT a substantial source of aerosols?

A
  • Antarctica
45
Q

What is ONE DIFFERENCE between aerosols and greenhouse gases?

A
  • Aerosols generally reflect solar radiation, whereas greenhouse gases do not interact with solar radiation
46
Q

What are ship tracks most closely associated with?

A

Aerosol indirect effect

47
Q

Which of the following is an example of weather modification that is being done today?

A

Precipitation suppression from airborne aerosol dispersal

48
Q

How many working groups are part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change?

A
  • 3
49
Q

The sixth IPCC assessment report (AR6) states that human influence on the climate system is …?

A
  • unequivocal
50
Q

Match the greenhouse gas with its primary source

A
  • Water vapor = Evaporation
  • Carbon Dioxide = Burning of Fossil Fuels
  • Methane = Agriculture
  • CFCs = Refrigeration
51
Q

Which of the following statements about carbon dioxide is FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Volcanic eruptions ARE NOT a significant source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
  • In the past 800,000 years, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have frequently risen above 300 ppm
52
Q

Which of the following quantities have DECREASED over the past 50 years? Select all that apply.

A
  • Global sea ice area
53
Q

Under the high-emission “fossil fueled development” scenario (SSP5-8.5), changes in surface temperatures between 1995-2014 and 2100 are estimated to be

A
  • 3 to 5 degrees C (6 to 9 degrees F)
54
Q

Which changes to the climate system are expected over the next 80 years? Select all that apply.

A
  • Sea level rise of 12 to 30 inches
  • Increasing acidity of the oceans
55
Q

Among the following list, which expect should be consulted first if you’re planning to project climate change over the next 80 years?

A
  • Economist
56
Q

What is the water cycle?

A
  • The movement and recycling of water through ocean, land and atmospheric reservoirs
57
Q

If air is saturated, which of the following statements is INCORRECT?

A
  • Absolute humidity equals saturation absolute humidity
58
Q

Roughly where on Earth has the highest specific humidity?

A
  • At the equator
59
Q

Assume you have an air parcel at 100% relative humidity. Which of the following will NOT lead to formation of clouds or fog?

A
  • Heating of the air parcel from solar radiation
60
Q

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A
  • Global warming will lead to more precipitation in the deserts of the world
61
Q

Where on Earth can you often find relative humidity above 60%? Select all that apply.

A
  • The equator near the surface
  • The North pole near the surface
62
Q

Which of the following indicate that a region is currently very humid? Select all that apply.

A
  • High dew point temperature
  • Relative humidity near 100%
63
Q

Which of the following types of clouds are primarily caused by active convection? Note that planes will tend to avoid these kind of clouds.

A
  • Cumulonimbus
64
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Convection (rising air) will always lead to precipitation
  • When air reaches the lifting condensation level it will stop rising
65
Q

Which of the below mechanisms is a primary driver for precipitation in California from atmospheric rivers?

A
  • Topographic uplift
66
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • When present, aerosols make it more difficult for water to condense
  • Clouds entirely consist of water vapor and liquid water
67
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Raindrops are easily suspended by turbulent motion in the cloud
  • When it rises, moist air cools more rapidly than dry air
68
Q

Which of the following is an example of WATER CONVEYANCE?

A
  • California Aqueduct
69
Q

Which of the following sources of water are at the GREATEST RISK from climate change?

A
  • Natural storage
70
Q

Which of the following factors are important for California being the source of 50% of the nation’s fruits and vegetables? Select all that apply.

A
  • A flat nutrient-rich Central Valley
  • The warm Mediterranean climate
  • Mountainous topography that supports a natural snowpack
71
Q

What is the term for a California water right earned because a parcel of land is adjacent to water?

A
  • Riparian right
72
Q

Which regions of the Sierra Nevada are at GREATEST RISK of snowpack loss?

A
  • The Sierra foothills
73
Q

Which of the following statements is FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Wet periods in California provide enough water to compensate for groundwater loss during dry periods
  • Climate change is increasingly shifting precipitation from the Winter into the Spring and Fall
74
Q

Which region of California is experiencing the greatest loss of groundwater?

A
  • Tulare Basin
75
Q

Which of the following approaches is UNLIKELY to significantly help with water supply issues in the future?

A
  • Building more surface reservoirs
76
Q

Under RCP8.5, how many extreme heat days (more than 40 degrees C or 103.9 degrees F) per year are expected in Sacramento by end of century?

A
  • 30-50
77
Q

More frequent wet yearsIn the future, annual precipitation is expected to become more variable. What are the consequences of this? Select all that apply.

A
  • More frequent wet years
  • More frequent dry years
  • Higher likelihood of an extremely dry year following an extremely wet year
78
Q

Which of the following are responsible for increased wildfire activity? Select all that apply.

A
  • More frequent extreme summertime winds
  • More human activity in wildland areas
  • Soil drying
79
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Almost all increases in wildfire burned area since the 1980s has been due to climate change
80
Q

Which of the following is expected to DECREASE in the future?

A
  • Frequency of Santa Ana wind events
81
Q

Which of the following is NOT an example of geoengineering?

A

Improved vehicle fuel efficiency

82
Q

How can one improve the adaptive capacity of California?

A
  • Implement residential health programs
83
Q

The Paris Agreement aims to keep average global temperature increase above pre-industrial levels below…

A
  • 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F)
84
Q

Which of the following statements are FALSE? Select all that apply.

A
  • Current policies are sufficient to hit the Paris Agreement warming target
  • The European Union is currently aiming for zero carbon emissions by 2050
85
Q

Which of the following has UC Davis done to tackle climate change? Select all that apply.

A
  • Construction of the UC Davis Anaerobic Biodigester
  • Improving building energy efficiency
  • Construction of the UC Davis Solar Farm
  • Supporting research into technologies for addressing climate change
86
Q

As of this year, which single country is emitting the most total CO2, despite its modest CO2 per capita?

A
  • China
87
Q

Which regions of the world are likely to obtain more agricultural land and higher agricultural productivity because of climate change? Select all that apply.

A
  • Canada
  • Europe
88
Q

Of the past four years (2020-2023), how many have experienced a below average number of billion-dollar weather disasters?

A
  • 0
89
Q

Which communities are likely to be disproportionately impacted by climate change? Select all that apply.

A
  • Communities of color
  • Low-income groups
  • Countries with underdeveloped infrastructure
90
Q

Which of the following is an example of an environmental justice issue that is NOT a climate justice issue?

A
  • Farm workers in California’s Central Valley being frequently exposed to contaminated soils