Climate Change and Atmosphere Flashcards
6 cards from real Environmental Science practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Climate Change and Atmosphere flashcards as text
Ocean acidification is caused primarily by oceans absorbing excess:
Answer: Carbon dioxide
Absorbed CO₂ reacts with seawater to form carbonic acid, lowering ocean pH and threatening shell-forming organisms.
Which phenomenon involves unusual warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, disrupting global weather patterns?
Answer: El Niño
El Niño is a periodic warming of Pacific surface waters that shifts rainfall patterns and can cause droughts and floods globally.
What is a carbon sink?
Answer: A natural or artificial reservoir that absorbs more carbon than it releases
Carbon sinks like forests and oceans absorb net CO₂ from the atmosphere, helping regulate atmospheric carbon levels.
Which sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States?
Answer: Transportation
Transportation overtook electricity as the largest U.S. GHG source, accounting for about 28% of total emissions.
The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) primarily does which of the following?
Answer: Assesses and synthesizes climate science for policymakers
The IPCC reviews and synthesizes published climate science to provide authoritative assessment reports for policymakers.
Which natural process releases large amounts of methane from thawing Arctic permafrost?
Answer: Methanogenesis by soil microbes
As permafrost thaws, anaerobic microbes decompose organic matter and produce methane through methanogenesis.