Earth's Changing Climate - Test Review

Question 1

climate

Answer 1

general weather patterns over a long period of time

Question 2

climate change

Answer 2

changes in climate over a long period of time that can be caused by natural events or human activities

Question 3

trend

Answer 3

overall tendency in a set of data over time

Question 4

fluctuation

Answer 4

short term variations in a set of data

Question 5

energy

Answer 5

the ability to make things move or change

Question 6

temperature

Answer 6

a measure of how hot or cold something is

Question 7

absorb

Answer 7

to take in energy

Question 8

atmosphere

Answer 8

the mixture of gasses

Question 9

carbon dioxide

Answer 9

a greenhouse gas molecule made of carbon and oxygen atoms

Question 10

methane

Answer 10

a greenhouse gas molecule made of carbon and hydrogen atoms

Question 11

change

Answer 11

when something becomes different over time

Question 12

stability

Answer 12

when something stays mostly the same over time

Question 13

Temperature ________ if more energy enters than exits.

Answer 13

increases

Question 14

A change to either the amount of energy entering or exiting the Earth system affects how much energy is absorbed by the Earth’s ________.

Answer 14

surface

Question 15

A system can be _______, even as something flows in and out of the system. If this balanced flow is disrupted there might be changes to the system.

Answer 15

stable

Question 16

Global average temperature ________ when energy absorbed by the surface increases.

Answer 16

increases

Question 17

Human activities

Answer 17

things that people do that affect Earth’s systems

Question 18

combustion

Answer 18

the process of burning fuels that produces heat and, for many fuels, carbon dioxide

Question 19

While human activities are causing the current long-term trend of increasing temperatures, other factors, like ______________, can have smaller effects on the climate in the short-term.

Answer 19

volcanic activity

Question 20

If there is an increase in the amount of _________ or __________ in the atmosphere then more energy enters than exits the Earth system.

Answer 20

carbon dioxide or methane

Question 21

If there is a ________ in carbon dioxide or methane then less energy enters than exists.

Answer 21

decrease