Amplify Science Earth's Changing Climate

From about 120 to 80 million years ago, scientists think that a large amount of carbon dioxide was released from rock on the ocean floor, which led to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What happened to energy in the Earth system during this time?

• increased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• increased, because more energy entered than exited. This is because more energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.

• decreased, because less energy entered than exited. This is because more energy from the sun wasredirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

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A climatologist was working with a computer simulation that models Earth’s climate and atmosphere. She set up the controls of the simulation to decrease the amount of methane in the atmosphere. What should happen to the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface?

When methane decreases, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface should

• change unpredictably.

• stay at a constant level.

• increase.

• decrease.

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Fossil evidence from the time of Tyrannosaurus rex (85–65 million years ago) shows less energy entered the Earth system than exited, even though energy from the sun didn’t change. How might the amount of carbon dioxide changed to cause this, and how would that have changed the energy absorbed by Earth’s surface??

• Carbon dioxide decreased so there was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Carbon dioxide decreased so there was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Carbon dioxide increased so there was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Carbon dioxide increased so there was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

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What happens when energy hits sulfur dioxide?

• When energy hits sulfur dioxide, more energy is created.

• Sulfur dioxide traps some energy and holds it in the atmosphere.

• Sulfur dioxide redirects (bounces) some incoming energy from the sun back toward outer space.

• Energy always passes through sulfur dioxide.

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The Karoo Ice Age started about 360 million years ago and lasted for about 40 million years. During this time, less energy entered the Earth system than exited. What is one change to the atmosphere that could have caused this?

• Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less energy was trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.

• Carbon dioxide decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because less exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• Carbon dioxide increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system because more exiting energy was redirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• Carbon dioxide increased, leading to less energy in the Earth system because more energy from the sun was redirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

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Scientists who study the atmosphere often need to take samples of the atmosphere in order to learn more. They take some atmosphere samples near the ground. They take other atmosphere samples high in the air, while flying in a helicopter. What would the scientists find out about the samples?

• Both samples are made of one kind of gas.

• Both samples are made of a mix of several different kinds of gases.

• Neither sample is made of anything.

• The samples are different from each other because each gas forms its own layer in the atmosphere.

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The Pleistocene Epoch lasted for about 2.6 million years. During this time, there were a few time periods when the amount of methane in the atmosphere decreased. What would scientists expect to observe about the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface during the time periods when methane decreased?

During these time periods, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface . . .

• increased.

• decreased.

• stayed at a consistent level.

• changed unpredictably.

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Climate researchers are creating a computer simulation to help them understand changes in the Earth system. They want to use the simulation to see what happens when they increase the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. What should their simulation show about energy absorbed by Earth’s surface?

• Increase

• Decrease

• Stay at a constant Level

• Change unpredictably

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What is the primary cause of Earth's changing climate according to the Amplify Science curriculum?

• A) Natural variations in solar radiation

• B) Human activities increasing greenhouse gases

• C) Volcanic eruptions releasing sulfur dioxide

• D) Changes in Earth's orbit

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How do greenhouse gases affect Earth's energy balance?

• A) They allow more energy to escape into space

• B) They trap energy, increasing Earth's temperature

• C) They reflect sunlight away from Earth

• D) They have no effect on Earth's energy balance

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