Earth Systems Amplify

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? When carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface should . . .

• increase

• decrease

• stay at a constant level

• change unpredictably

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NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

Climate researchers in Greenland can use ice core samples to tell them about methane in the atmosphere in the past. Researchers found a sample that showed a time period when methane in the atmosphere increased. What happened to amount of energy absorbed by Earth's surface during this time? During this time, the amount of energy absorbed by Earth’s surface

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

• increased.

• decreased.

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NGSS.HS-ESS2-2

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

Geologists have found rocks showing that about 700 million years ago, there was a time period when the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreased. How did energy in the Earth system change during this time?

• There was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy entered than exited.

• There was more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because lessenergy entered than exited.

• There was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because moreenergy entered than exited.

• There was less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy entered than exited.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

There are some bacteria that release methane into the atmosphere. Scientists think that if the number of these bacteria decreased, the amount of methane in the atmosphere would decrease. What would happen to energy in the Earth system if the atmosphere had less methane?Energy in the Earth system would

• decrease, because less energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would beredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• decrease, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less exiting energy would beredirected (bounced) back toward Earth.

• decrease, because less energy would enter than exit. This is because less energy would be trapped by gases and held in the atmosphere.

• increase, because more energy would enter than exit. This is because less energy from the sun would beredirected (bounced) back toward outer space.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

Scientists have tools that measure the amount of energy entering and exiting the Earth system. Recently, more energy entered the system than exited. What might scientists expect to see in the atmosphere, and what has changed about energy in the Earth system?

• Methane decreased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Methane decreased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Methane increased, leading to more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

• Methane increased, leading to less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth's surface.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

Ice core data from Greenland indicates there was a time period on Earth when the atmosphere changed so more energy entered the system than exited. What change to the atmosphere could have caused this and how would it have affected energy on Earth during that time?

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

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

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

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS2-6

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

Fossilized shells from the Pacific Ocean show that about 15 million years ago, there was a time period when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased. What would have happened to the energy absorbed by Earth’s surface during this time?

During this time, energy absorbed by Earth’s surface

• stayed at a constant level.

• changed unpredictably.

• decreased.

• increased.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5

A climatologist is creating a simulation for Earth’s climate and is working on how to set it up. One of the options for the simulation is to increase methane in the atmosphere. How should the energy in the Earth system change when the amount of methane in the atmosphere increases?

• more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy enters than exits.

• more energy in the Earth system and more energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy enters than exits.

• less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because more energy enters than exits.

• less energy in the Earth system and less energy absorbed by Earth’s surface, because less energy enters than exits.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

How does an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide affect the Earth's energy balance?

• Increases energy absorbed by Earth's surface

• Decreases energy absorbed by Earth's surface

• Keeps energy absorbed constant

• Causes unpredictable changes in energy absorption

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

What is the role of methane in the Earth's energy system?

• Increases energy absorption by trapping heat

• Decreases energy absorption by releasing heat

• Has no effect on energy absorption

• Causes energy absorption to fluctuate unpredictably

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS2-4

NGSS.HS-ESS3-5