1. Weather, climate, and pollution
Air Review
Weather, climate, and pollution

2. Climate is the general pattern of weather over a period of at least
a. 30 years
b. 30 days
c. 30 minutes
d. 30 centuries

3. Climate is the general pattern of weather over a period of at least
a. 30 years

4. Environmentalists are likely to
a. ventilate their homes periodically
b. use houseplants that filter the air
c. maintain the vents for stoves, fireplaces, and heaters
d. all of these answers

5. Environmentalists are likely to
a. ventilate their homes periodically
b. use houseplants that filter the air
c. maintain the vents for stoves, fireplaces, and heaters
d. all of these answers

6. Indoor air pollution could be sharply reduced by
a. modifying building codes to prevent radon infiltration
b. requiring exhaust hoods or vent pipes for stoves, refrigerators, or other appliances burning natural gas or other fossil fuels
c. finding substitutes for potentially harmful chemicals
d. all of these answers

7. Indoor air pollution could be sharply reduced by
a. modifying building codes to prevent radon infiltration
b. requiring exhaust hoods or vent pipes for stoves, refrigerators, or other appliances burning natural gas or other fossil fuels
c. finding substitutes for potentially harmful chemicals
d. all of these answers

8. Humans are protected from air pollution by
a. sneezing and coughing
b. mucus capturing small particles
c. nasal hairs filtering out large particles
d. all of these answers

9. Humans are protected from air pollution by
a. sneezing and coughing
b. mucus capturing small particles
c. nasal hairs filtering out large particles
d. all of these answers

10. In 1990, EPA rated indoor air pollution as the ____ out of 18 sources of cancer risk.
a. first
b. second
c. third
d. fourth

11. In 1990, EPA rated indoor air pollution as the ____ out of 18 sources of cancer risk.
a. first

12. Acid deposition can a. release soluble aluminum ions
b. deplete acid-buffering chemicals in the soil
c. altering calcium and magnesium uptake from the soil
d. all of these answers

13. Acid deposition can a. release soluble aluminum ions
b. deplete acid-buffering chemicals in the soil
c. altering calcium and magnesium uptake from the soil
d. all of these answers

14. Acid deposition can affect living organisms by
a. killing fish, aquatic plants, and microorganisms in lakes and streams
b. damaging tree roots
c. making trees more susceptible to diseases
d. all of these answers

15. Acid deposition can affect living organisms by
a. killing fish, aquatic plants, and microorganisms in lakes and streams
b. damaging tree roots
c. making trees more susceptible to diseases
d. all of these answers

16. In general, acid deposition can have harmful effects when pH falls below the level of ___.

17. In general, acid deposition can have harmful effects when pH falls below the level of ___.

18. Which of the following areas would be least likely to have a thermal inversion?
a. an area near the coast
b. an area in the central plains
c. a valley surrounded by mountains
d. the leeward side of a mountain range

19. Which of the following areas would be least likely to have a thermal inversion?
b. an area in the central plains

20. Which of the following statements is true?
a. thermal inversion occurs when a layer of cold air prevents warm air from rising
b. thermal inversions exacerbate pollution problems
c. thermal inversions last only a few minutes to a few hours
d. normally, cool air near Earth’s surface expands and rises, carrying pollutants higher into the troposphere

21. Which of the following statements is true?
b. thermal inversions exacerbate pollution problems

22. The frequency and severity of smog in an area depends least upon the
a. local climate and topography
b. fuels used in industry, heating, and transportation
c. size of the ozone hole over the Arctic
d. density of the population

23. The frequency and severity of smog in an area depends least upon the
c. size of the ozone hole over the Arctic

24. Scientists classify indoor and outdoor air pollution as
a. high-risk human health problems
b. moderate-risk human health problems
c. low-risk human health problems
d. high-risk ecological problems

25. Scientists classify indoor and outdoor air pollution as
a. high-risk human health problems

26. . In 1987, 36 nations meeting in Montreal, Canada developed the Montreal Protocol to reduce production of
a. carbon dioxide
b. nitrous oxide
c. CFCs
d. toxic wastes

27. . In 1987, 36 nations meeting in Montreal, Canada developed the Montreal Protocol to reduce production of
c. CFCs

28. Human health problems closely associated with ozone depletion include all of the following except
a. skin cancer
b. eye cataracts
c. increased incidence of heart disease
d. suppression of the immune response

29. Human health problems closely associated with ozone depletion include all of the following except
c. increased incidence of heart disease

30. Which of the following charges against the theory of ozone depletion is true?
a. CFC molecules cannot reach the stratosphere because they are heavier than air
b. The best models of ozone production and destruction estimate that global ozone levels should be 10% less than what we actually observe
c. Sodium chloride from the evaporation of sea spray contributes more chlorine to the stratosphere than do CFCs.
d. There is no scientific proof that ozone depletion is occurring.

31. Which of the following charges against the theory of ozone depletion is true?
b. The best models of ozone production and destruction estimate that global ozone levels should be 10% less than what we actually observe

32. Which if the following is false?
a. over 44 years passed from the first production of CFCs until the firs awareness that they could cause environmental damage
b. CFCs are stable, odorless, nonflammable, nontoxic, and noncorrosive chemicals
c. CFCs are found in bubbles in Styrofoam and insulation
d. CFCs are important because they help screen out ultraviolet radiation from reaching Earth’s surface

33. Which if the following is false?
d. CFCs are important because they help screen out ultraviolet radiation from reaching Earth’s surface

34. Prevention approaches to global warming include all of the following except
a. increase beef production to strengthen public health
b. halt deforestation
c. switch to sustainable agriculture
d. slow population growth

35. Prevention approaches to global warming include all of the following except
a. increase beef production to strengthen public health

36. The fossil fuel that released the least carbon dioxide per unit of energy is
a. oil
b. natural gas
c. coal
d. petroleum

37. Scientists who claim the global climate system is so complex we will never have the level of certainty wanted by decision makers urge
a. take no action now because global warming is all hype
b. take action now based on the precautionary principle
c. take no action until we get more data
d. take action to reverse the climate changes we have caused thus far

38. Scientists who claim the global climate system is so complex we will never have the level of certainty wanted by decision makers urge
b. take action now based on the precautionary principle

39. In a warmer world we would expect more
a. droughts
b. hurricanes
c. prolonged heat waves
d. all of these answers

40. In a warmer world we would expect more
a. droughts
b. hurricanes
c. prolonged heat waves
d. all of these answers

41. We are uncertain about how
a. carbon dioxide will affect the rate of photosynthesis
b. continued changes in polar ice will occur
c. temperature fluctuations over the last 100 years
d. all of these answers

42. We are uncertain about how
a. carbon dioxide will affect the rate of photosynthesis
b. continued changes in polar ice will occur
c. temperature fluctuations over the last 100 years
d. all of these answers

43. We have the most certainty about
a. variations in solar output
b. the role the oceans will play in global warming
c. temperature fluctuations over the last 100 years
d. the role of polar ice in global warming

44. We have the most certainty about
c. temperature fluctuations over the last 100 years

45. Current global climate models suggest that climate change
a. will never happen
b. will be toward the warmer side over the next century
c. will be toward the colder side over the next century
d. will reach stabilization after two hundred years

46. Current global climate models suggest that climate change
b. will be toward the warmer side over the next century

47. Correspondence between climate models and the real world depends upon
a. the design and assumptions of the model
b. the accuracy of the data
c. factors that amplify or dampen changes in average global temperatures
d. all of these answers

48. Correspondence between climate models and the real world depends upon
a. the design and assumptions of the model
b. the accuracy of the data
c. factors that amplify or dampen changes in average global temperatures
d. all of these answers

49. In 1995, the International Governmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that
a. global climate change is a hoax
b. the earth is likely to experience an Ice Age in the next century
c. the slight rise in temperature observed over the last century was caused by changes in solar cycles
d. the slight rise in temperature observed over the last century was probably influenced by human causes

50. In 1995, the International Governmental Panel on Climate Change concluded that
d. the slight rise in temperature observed over the last century was probably influenced by human causes

51. Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide
a. was about 100 parts per million prior to the Industrial Revolution, according to ice core analysis
b. has declined exponentially since the Industrial Revolution
c. has increased exponentially since the Industrial Revolution
d. is projected to decrease by half by 2050

52. Atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide
c. has increased exponentially since the Industrial Revolution

53. Increased greenhouse gases originate from
a. burning fossil fuels
b. deforestation
c. use of CFCs
d. all of these answers

54. Increased greenhouse gases originate from
a. burning fossil fuels
b. deforestation
c. use of CFCs
d. all of these answers

55. The most important greenhouse gas contribution by humans is
a. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
b. water vapor
c. nitrous oxide
d. carbon dioxide

56. The most important greenhouse gas contribution by humans is
d. carbon dioxide

57. The primary greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is
a. chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
b. water vapor
c. nitrous oxide
d. methane

58. The primary greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is
b. water vapor

59. All of the following are greenhouse gases except
a. carbon dioxide
b. water vapor
c. methane
d. nitrogen

60. All of the following are greenhouse gases except
d. nitrogen

61. The term greenhouse effect
a. describes occupational diseases of florists
b. describes the trapping of heat energy in the troposphere by certain gaseous molecules
c. describes the trapping of heat energy in the stratosphere by nitrogen
d. describes efforts being made by the White House to support environmental legislation

62. The term greenhouse effect
b. describes the trapping of heat energy in the troposphere by certain gaseous molecules

63. Climate is influenced by
a. the amount of incoming solar radiation
b. Earth’s rotation
c. tilt of the Earth’s axis and Earth’s revolutions
d. all of these answers

64. Climate is influenced by
a. the amount of incoming solar radiation
b. Earth’s rotation
c. tilt of the Earth’s axis and Earth’s revolutions
d. all of these answers

65. The two most important factors in climate are
a. temperature and insulation
b. precipitation and pressure
c. humidity, clouds, and wind
d. temperature and precipitation

66. The two most important factors in climate are
d. temperature and precipitation

67. Features of weather include all of the following except:
a. temperature
b. barometric pressure
c. wind direction
d. ozone concentration

68. Stratospheric ozone helps to prevent
a. sunburn
b. skin cancer
c. eye cancer and cataracts
d. all of these answers

69. Stratospheric ozone helps to prevent
a. sunburn
b. skin cancer
c. eye cancer and cataracts
d. all of these answers