Climate Changes on Earth

What is the main cause of climate changes on Earth according to the text?

• The amount of energy that enters and exits Earth's system

• The number of animals on Earth

• The amount of water in the oceans

• The position of the moon

What happens to the global average temperatures when the energy entering and exiting Earth are in balance?

• They increase

• They decrease

• They stay the same

• They fluctuate wildly

What happens when more energy enters Earth's system than exits?

• The climate cools

• The climate warms

• The climate stays the same

• The climate becomes unpredictable

What is the role of scientists in studying past climate changes?

• To find out what might happen as Earth's climate changes

• To predict the weather for the next day

• To measure the amount of water in the oceans

• To count the number of animals on Earth

Approximately how many years ago did the Eocene Period occur?

• 56 million years ago

• 100 million years ago

• 10 million years ago

• 1 million years ago

What was the global average temperature during the Eocene Period compared to today?

• About 16°C (28.8°F) warmer

• About 10°C (18°F) warmer

• About 5°C (9°F) warmer

• About 20°C (36°F) warmer

What type of organisms lived in the Arctic during the Eocene Period?

• Warm-water organisms

• Cold-water organisms

• Desert organisms

• Mountain organisms

What is one theory for the cause of warming in the early Eocene Period?

• Increase in carbon dioxide gas (CO₂) in the atmosphere

• Decrease in carbon dioxide gas (CO₂) in the atmosphere

• Increase in oxygen gas (O₂) in the atmosphere

• Decrease in oxygen gas (O₂) in the atmosphere

What are gases that affect the Earth system by trapping heat called?

• Greenhouse gases

• Noble gases

• Inert gases

• Reactive gases

What happens when more energy enters the Earth system than leaves it?

• Earth gets warmer

• Earth gets cooler

• Earth stays the same temperature

• Earth becomes uninhabitable