GLOBAL WARMING FINAL EXAM WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTION
Why do scientists use climate models? - ANSWER 1. To predict future climate
2. Apply physical laws on large scales
3. Test the models using recent historical records
Physical processes represented by climate models - ANSWER Wind, surface
pressure, temperature, humidity, and rainfall
How and why does atmospheric CO2 change during the year? - ANSWER CO2
decreases in spring-summer because plants absorb it. In fall-winter, the
plants die/decay and release CO2 back into the atmosphere
What is positive feedback? - ANSWER Feedback that increases the output of
a process (magnifying)
What is negative feedback? - ANSWER Feedback that dampens a response
(stabilizing)
Are most feedbacks positive or negative? - ANSWER Positive
What is albedo? - ANSWER Fraction of light that is reflected
How is albedo measured? - ANSWER W/M^2
What is the equation for albedo? - ANSWER a=reflected/incident
What controls the amount of water vapor that a mass of air can hold? -
ANSWER Temperature
,What is saturated air? - ANSWER Maximum amount of water that the air can
hold as vapor
What is undersaturated air? - ANSWER Air is at the point where it can still
take in more water vapor
What is relative humidity? - ANSWER The ratio between the amount of H2O
in given volume of gas and the maximum amount it is capable of holding at
that temperature.
RH=water content/saturation water content
Is water vapor a greenhouse gas? How can we tell? - ANSWER Yes. It has 3
atoms.
How do high clouds (cirrus clouds) alter the temperature of the surface? -
ANSWER Warm the earth
How do low clouds (stratus and cumulus clouds) alter the temperature of the
surface? - ANSWER Cool the earth
What is the approximate Radiative Imbalance of earth today? - ANSWER 0.8
W/M^2
What is the Radiative Forcing of human activities to date? - ANSWER 1.6
W/M^2
What are the 4 primary drivers of climate variability and climate change over
the last 1000 years? - ANSWER 1. Greenhouse gases
2. Solar variability
3. Industrial pollution
4. Volcanoes
, What is an industrial aerosol? - ANSWER Small solid particle or liquid droplet
suspended in the air
How are industrial aerosols removed from the air? - ANSWER By rain
How do industrial aerosols affect the climate? - ANSWER Cause cooling
What are 2 major ways aerosols affect the climate? - ANSWER 1. Reflect
sunlight back to space
2. Make clouds more reflective
How do major explosive volcanic eruptions affect global climate? - ANSWER
1. Form barrier to sunlight
2. Reflect sunlight (cool earth)
What kind of feedback is Radiative Emission? - ANSWER Negative
What is dew point? - ANSWER When the number of molecules that
evaporates equals the number that condense
What is the biggest uncertainty in future climate? - ANSWER How much CO2
humans will emit into the atmosphere in the future
What is the difference between Radiative Imbalance and Radiative Forcing? -
ANSWER Radiative Forcing measures the TOTAL effects of all the greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere on the energy budget of the earth over time.
Radiative Imbalance is the CURRENT difference between incoming radiation
and outgoing radiation measured at the top of the atmosphere.
Between 1945 and 1975, there is a slight cooling trend in the global
temperature record. What caused this? - ANSWER An increased amount of
aerosols due to industrial expansion
COMPLETE SOLUTION
Why do scientists use climate models? - ANSWER 1. To predict future climate
2. Apply physical laws on large scales
3. Test the models using recent historical records
Physical processes represented by climate models - ANSWER Wind, surface
pressure, temperature, humidity, and rainfall
How and why does atmospheric CO2 change during the year? - ANSWER CO2
decreases in spring-summer because plants absorb it. In fall-winter, the
plants die/decay and release CO2 back into the atmosphere
What is positive feedback? - ANSWER Feedback that increases the output of
a process (magnifying)
What is negative feedback? - ANSWER Feedback that dampens a response
(stabilizing)
Are most feedbacks positive or negative? - ANSWER Positive
What is albedo? - ANSWER Fraction of light that is reflected
How is albedo measured? - ANSWER W/M^2
What is the equation for albedo? - ANSWER a=reflected/incident
What controls the amount of water vapor that a mass of air can hold? -
ANSWER Temperature
,What is saturated air? - ANSWER Maximum amount of water that the air can
hold as vapor
What is undersaturated air? - ANSWER Air is at the point where it can still
take in more water vapor
What is relative humidity? - ANSWER The ratio between the amount of H2O
in given volume of gas and the maximum amount it is capable of holding at
that temperature.
RH=water content/saturation water content
Is water vapor a greenhouse gas? How can we tell? - ANSWER Yes. It has 3
atoms.
How do high clouds (cirrus clouds) alter the temperature of the surface? -
ANSWER Warm the earth
How do low clouds (stratus and cumulus clouds) alter the temperature of the
surface? - ANSWER Cool the earth
What is the approximate Radiative Imbalance of earth today? - ANSWER 0.8
W/M^2
What is the Radiative Forcing of human activities to date? - ANSWER 1.6
W/M^2
What are the 4 primary drivers of climate variability and climate change over
the last 1000 years? - ANSWER 1. Greenhouse gases
2. Solar variability
3. Industrial pollution
4. Volcanoes
, What is an industrial aerosol? - ANSWER Small solid particle or liquid droplet
suspended in the air
How are industrial aerosols removed from the air? - ANSWER By rain
How do industrial aerosols affect the climate? - ANSWER Cause cooling
What are 2 major ways aerosols affect the climate? - ANSWER 1. Reflect
sunlight back to space
2. Make clouds more reflective
How do major explosive volcanic eruptions affect global climate? - ANSWER
1. Form barrier to sunlight
2. Reflect sunlight (cool earth)
What kind of feedback is Radiative Emission? - ANSWER Negative
What is dew point? - ANSWER When the number of molecules that
evaporates equals the number that condense
What is the biggest uncertainty in future climate? - ANSWER How much CO2
humans will emit into the atmosphere in the future
What is the difference between Radiative Imbalance and Radiative Forcing? -
ANSWER Radiative Forcing measures the TOTAL effects of all the greenhouse
gases in the atmosphere on the energy budget of the earth over time.
Radiative Imbalance is the CURRENT difference between incoming radiation
and outgoing radiation measured at the top of the atmosphere.
Between 1945 and 1975, there is a slight cooling trend in the global
temperature record. What caused this? - ANSWER An increased amount of
aerosols due to industrial expansion
