How things work college course/Global warming quiz 4

The unshuffled version can serve as a pre-reading activity for the Wikipedia article, Global warming (permalink)

See Global warming quizzes for other quizzes devoted to this article. This quiz covers feedback and climate models.

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Global Warming quiz 4- Feedback and climate models

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1 Changes in ice-albedo refers to changes in

	how much CO2 is absorbed by the sun
	how much the Earth's surface absorbs or reflects incoming sunlight
	how much ice is melted during the summer months

2 The Stefan-Boltzmann law plays a central role in establishing a planets temperature as the sun heats the planet until the thermal (infra-red) radiation away the planet rises to match the solar radiation onto the planet

	true
	false

3 The Stefan-Boltzmann law plays a central role in establishing a planets temperature as the sun heats the planet with thermal (infra-red) radiation adding to the other solar radiation onto the planet

	true
	false

4 Stefan-Boltzmann radiation is called a negative feedback mechanism because if the sun's radiation increases, the Stefan-Boltzmann law ensures that more heat is lost from the planet to compensate.

	true
	false

5 Stefan-Boltzmann radiation is called a negative feedback mechanism because if the sun's radiation increases, the Stefan-Boltzmann law ensures that this heat is retained by the planet.

	true
	false

6 Computer models accurately model feedback mechanisms associated with the role of clouds as a feedback mechanism.

	true
	false

7 Computer models accurately model feedback mechanisms associated with how the soil will retain or release CO2 as the earth warms.

	true
	false

8 Analysis of the uncertainties associated with feedback suggests that the "worst-case" scenario is easier to model.

	true
	false

9 Analysis of the uncertainties associated with feedback suggests that the "worst-case" scenario is more difficult to model.

	true
	false

10 The cryosphere refers to

	the north and south poles
	the upper atmosphere
	the highest mountains
	two of these are true

11 While computer modeling indicate that the warming since 1970 is dominated by man-made greenhouse gas emissions, they are unable to conclusively ascertain whether the warming from 1910 to 1945 was anthropogenic.

	true
	false

12 Computer modeling has conclusively established that anthropogenic warming has occurred since 1910.

	true
	false

13 How is the validity of a computer model typically tested?

	by verifying its ability to calculate past climate conditions.
	all of these are true
	by verifying its ability to calculate current climate conditions.
	by making predictions about future years and seeing if they come true.