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