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STS-CHAPTER 12: CLIMATE CHANGE
Contributed by: Arreglo
  • 1. 1.Which statement best distinguishes "climate" from weather as described in the text?
A) Weather refers to long-term atmospheric patterns, while climate is short-term.
B) Climate changes more frequently than weather.
C) Climate refers to long-term atmospheric patterns, while weather is short-term variability.
D) Weather and climate describe identical atmospheric conditions.
  • 2. 2.According to the text, Milankovitch believed climate change originates from:
A) Ozone layer depletion
B) Random fluctuations in Earth’s weather systems
C) Variations in the Earth–Sun geometric relationship
D) Sudden shifts in ocean currents
  • 3. 3. Greenhouse gases trap…
A) Earth’s rotation
B) Sound waves
C) Heat from the sun
D) Ocean currents
  • 4. 4.Which argument was used by early critics against Milankovitch’s theory?
A) The effects he calculated were too large to be realistic
B) His calculations were inaccurate
C) The changes in sunlight were too small to trigger major climate events
D) His theory contradicted Newtonian mechanics
  • 5. 5.The original Greek term "klima" referred to which of the following?
A) A geographic zone characterized by atmospheric conditions
B) The tilt of the Earth’s axis
C) The relationship between temperature and humidity
D) The difference between aphelion and perihelion
  • 6. 6.The most abundant natural greenhouse gas is…
A) Methane
B) Nitrogen
C) Water vapor
D) CO₂
  • 7. 7.Which of the following correctly describes the Earth’s orbital motion?
A) It is elliptical but the Earth’s axis remains fixed.
B) It is circular and maintains a fixed orientation in space.
C) It is circular but its orientation constantly shifts.
D) It is elliptical and its orientation changes over time.
  • 8. 8.The significance of Henri Poincaré’s work in relation to Milankovitch’s theory is that it:
A) Demonstrated that Earth’s tilt never changes ‎
B) Established that sunlight is constant over time
C) Disproved the idea of orbital cycles
D) Introduced the concept of chaos, showing small changes can have major effects
  • 9. 9.The Keeling Curve measures…
A) Temperature of the oceans
B) Earthquakes
C) CO₂ levels over time
D) Distance to the sun
  • 10. 10.The wobbling of the Earth, similar to a spinning top, is associated with which concept?
A) Solstice
B) Equinox
C) Perihelion
D) Precession
  • 11. 11.Which statement best summarizes the role of Chaos Theory in climate studies?
A) It shows that summative effects of small changes can unexpectedly amplify
B) It eliminates the need for Milankovitch cycles
C) It proves that climate change is entirely human-caused
D) It rejects all Newtonian physics
  • 12. 12. Global warming today is mainly caused by…
A) Earth’s tilt
B) Solar storms
C) Rotation speed
D) Human activities
  • 13. 13.Which event results in nearly equal lengths of day and night worldwide?
A) Perihelion
B) Winter solstice
C) Summer solstice
D) Equinox
  • 14. 14.Modern scientists believe rapid warming today cannot be explained by:
A) Volcanic activity
B) Milankovitch cycles alone
C) Human industry
D) Increased ocean evaporation
  • 15. 15.Industrialization increases greenhouse gases because of…
A) More rainfall
B) Less sunlight
C) More trees
D) Burning fossil fuels
  • 16. 16.The precession of the equinoxes refers specifically to
A) The shift in distance between aphelion and perihelion
B) Seasonal temperature fluctuations caused by Earth’s tilt
C) The movement of equinox points due to axial precession
D) The elliptical nature of Earth’s orbit
  • 17. 17.The argument that global warming is “natural” relies on the idea that:
A) Humans influence climate more than nature
B) The greenhouse effect does not exist
C) Solar radiation changes alone determine temperature
D) Earth’s climate has always changed without human influence
  • 18. 18.The greenhouse effect is important because it…
A) Makes Earth colder
B) Stops sunlight from entering
C) Stops Earth’s rotation
D) Makes Earth habitable
  • 19. 19.In discussions of climate change, why does the text suggest starting with Earth’s orbit?
A) Because orbital factors eliminate the need to study atmospheric conditions
B) Because changes in orbital orientation influence how much solar energy reaches Earth
C) Because weather patterns are fully determined by orbital distance
D) Because the orbit of the Earth never changes
  • 20. 20.The stability of early CO₂ levels before 1950 suggests that:
A) Temperature was decreasing
B) Natural cycles were the dominant influence at that time
C) Humans were already causing warming
D) Industrialization had no impact
  • 21. 21.Which scientist first warned about greenhouse gases?
A) Tyndall
B) Newton
C) Poincaré
D) Keeling
  • 22. 22.Chaos theory helps scientists understand…
A) Simple machines
B) Complex and unpredictable systems
C) Predictable patterns only
D) Earthquakes
  • 23. 23. Climate refers to…
A) The daily changes in temperature
B) Sudden changes in the atmosphere
C) Long-term weather patterns of an area
D) Short-term storms and rainfall
  • 24. 24. The word “climate” comes from the Greek word klinein, which means…
A) To slope
B) To move
C) To heat
D) To turn
  • 25. 25.Precession refers to…
A) The wobble or change in the Earth’s axis
B) The longest day of the year
C) The tilt of the Earth
D) The shortest day of the year
  • 26. 26.Precession makes Earth behave like a…
A) Car wheel
B) Boat
C) Spinning top (trumpo)
D) Flying bird
  • 27. 27. Milankovitch cycles operate over…
A) Months
B) Tens of thousands of years
C) Hundreds of years
D) Days
  • 28. 28. The summer solstice occurs when…
A) The sun is over the equator
B) Earth is farthest from the sun
C) Day and night are equal
D) Longest daylight of the year
  • 29. 29.The Earth’s orbit around the Sun is shaped as a…
A) Circle
B) Ellipse
C) Triangle
D) Spiral
  • 30. 30. Greenhouse gases DO NOT include…
A) Oxygen
B) Methane
C) Carbon dioxide
D) Water vapor
  • 31. 31.Climate change has no impact on society or the environment.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 32. 32. The Ice Age was influenced by Milankovitch cycles.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 33. 33. Natural and human factors both influence climate.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 34. 34.The Earth’s tilt never changes.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 35. 35. Fossil fuels release greenhouse gases when burned.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 36. 36.The Keeling Curve proves that CO₂ levels are rising.
A) TRUE
B) FALSE
  • 37. 37.Human activities increase carbon dioxide levels.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 38. 38. Global warming and the greenhouse effect are exactly the same thing.
A) TRUE
B) FALSE
  • 39. 39. Water vapor is a greenhouse gas.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 40. 40. CO₂ levels were stable before industrialization.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 41. 41. Greenhouse gases keep Earth warm enough for life.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 42. 42. Milankovitch cycles happen quickly within a decade.
A) TRUE
B) FALSE
  • 43. 43. Climate refers to short-term atmospheric changes.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 44. 44.Precession makes Earth wobble like a spinning top.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 45. 45. Climate change is related to Earth’s orbit and tilt.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 46. 46. The amount of sunlight Earth receives never changes.
A) TRUE
B) FALSE
  • 47. 47.The precession of the equinoxes occurs over thousands of years.
A) TRUE
B) FALSE
  • 48. 48.Solstice happens twice a year.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 49. 49. The Earth moves around the sun in an elliptical orbit.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
  • 50. 50. Weather and climate mean the same thing.
A) FALSE
B) TRUE
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