Question 1

The Ice Age,which began about 2.5 million years ago,is also known as the ____.
A)Pleistocene epoch
B)Holocene epoch
C)​Bölling-Alleröd period
D)​Younger Dryas
E)​Little Ice Age

Accepted Answer

The Ice Age, which began about 2.5 million years ago, is known as the Pleistocene epoch, as it is the geological time period during which the most recent glacial period occurred. The other options refer to specific periods within the Holocene epoch, which is the current geological epoch we are in, that are associated with climatic fluctuations.

Question 2

What allowed human and animal migration to occur from Asia to North America?
A)a warm spell called the Bölling-Alleröd period
B)the Eemian interglacial period
C)​retreat of continental glaciers
D)​the Bering land bridge
E)​melting of the polar ice caps

Accepted Answer

The Bering land bridge, which was formed during the last ice age, connected Asia and North America through the Bering Strait. This allowed human and animal migration to occur between the two continents. The other options (A, B, C, and E) are not directly related to the formation of the land bridge and the subsequent migration.

Question 3

Throughout much of Earth's history,the global climate was probably ____ it is today.
A)much colder than
B)slightly cooler than
C)​much warmer than
D)​much wetter than
E)​about the same as

Accepted Answer

During the early and middle parts of the Earth's history, such as during the Carboniferous and Cretaceous periods, the global climate was much warmer than it is today. The Earth has experienced periods of glaciation, but overall, the climate has trended towards warmer temperatures.

Question 4

Generally,the ____ the air when the snow fell,the richer the concentration of oxygen-16 in an ice core.
A)wetter
B)warmer
C)​colder
D)​drier
E)​denser

Accepted Answer

When it is colder, the saturation of heavy isotopes such as oxygen-18 and the fractionation enrichment of the snow are enhanced. As a result, snow flakes with higher isotopic composition (more oxygen-18) are separated out. Thus, the remaining snowflakes have higher concentration of oxygen-16.

Question 5

Even a rise in global temperature of several degrees Celsius might be enough to raise sea level by ____ or more.
A)a centimeter
B)ten centimeters
C)​a meter
D)​ten meters
E)​twenty meters

Accepted Answer

A rise in global temperature of several degrees Celsius could cause thermal expansion of seawater and melting of glaciers and ice sheets, which could lead to a rise in sea level by at least a meter, and possibly more. Choices A, B, D, and E are too small or too large to be plausible.

Question 6

Thick sheets of ice advanced over North America as far south as New York as recently as ____.
A)1816 ("the year without a summer")
B)1550
C)​18,000 to 22,000 years ago
D)​1,000 to 2,000 years ago
E)​2 million years ago

Accepted Answer

The last glacial maximum, when thick ice sheets advanced over North America reaching as far south as New York, occurred approximately 18,000 to 22,000 years ago.

Question 7

The higher the ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 in the shells of organisms that lived in the sea during the geologic past,the ____ the climate at that time.
A)colder
B)warmer
C)​wetter
D)​drier
E)​more humid

Accepted Answer

The ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 in the shells of marine organisms increases in colder climates because lighter oxygen-16 evaporates more readily, leaving behind water that is enriched in oxygen-18. This water is then incorporated into the shells of marine organisms, indicating a colder climate.

Question 8

Over the Northern Hemisphere,the period from 1983 to 2012 was likely the warmest 30-year period of the last ____ years,according to the IPCC.
A)100
B)300
C)​1,400
D)2,000​
E)​10,000

Accepted Answer

The answer of Over the Northern Hemisphere,the period from 1983...

Question 9

Glaciers form over land where temperatures are sufficiently low so that,during the course of a year,____.
A)ice crystallization does not occur
B)snow will not accumulate
C)​snow compaction does not occur
D)​less snow falls than will melt
E)​more snow falls than will melt

Accepted Answer

Glaciers form over land where more snow falls than will melt. This snow accumulates over time and compacts into ice, eventually forming a glacier.

Question 10

Ice core data from Greenland reveal that rapid shifts in climate (from ice age conditions to a much warmer state)took place in as little as ____ over central Greenland around the end of the Younger Dryas.
A)a century
B)a decade
C)​a year
D)​a thousand years
E)​four thousand years

Accepted Answer

Ice core data from Greenland indicate that rapid climate shifts occurred in as little as a decade over central Greenland around the end of the Younger Dryas.

Question 11

18,000 years ago,huge ice sheets called ____ covered vast areas of North America and Europe.
A)alpine glaciers
B)continental glaciers
C)​polar glaciers
D)​landmass glaciers
E)​mountain glaciers

Accepted Answer

Continental glaciers are large ice sheets that cover vast areas of land, and are the only option listed that fits the description of the ice sheets that covered North America and Europe 18,000 years ago. Alpine, polar, and mountain glaciers are all smaller and found in different types of environments, while landmass glaciers is not a commonly used term.

Question 12

Presently glaciers cover ____ of Earth's surface.
A)less than 10 percent
B)less than 1 percent
C)​more than 25 percent 
D)​approximately 15 percent
E)​approximately 35 percent

Accepted Answer

The answer of Presently glaciers cover ____ of Earth's surface.
A)less...

Question 13

Most of the ice on Earth is in the ____ ice sheets.
A)Greenland and Antarctic 
B)Greenland and Arctic
C)​alpine and Arctic
D)​Siberian
E)​North American

Accepted Answer

According to scientific estimates, more than 99 percent of the Earth's land ice is distributed among the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets. Therefore, the correct answer is A, which refers to the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.

Question 14

Dendrochronology is the study of ____.
A)oxygen-isotope ratios of corals
B)annual growth rings of trees
C)​deuterium ratios in ice cores
D)​lake-bottom sediment and soil deposits
E)​pollen in deep ice caves

Accepted Answer

Dendrochronology is the study of the annual growth rings of trees, which can be used to determine the age of a tree and also provide information on past climatic conditions. The growth rings vary in thickness depending on environmental conditions such as temperature, rainfall, and drought, allowing researchers to construct a timeline of environmental changes.

Question 15

During the Little Ice Age,____.
A)the climatic optimum occurred
B)the Bering land bridge formed
C)​alpine glaciers grew in size and advanced
D)​continental glaciers covered large portions of North America
E)​sea level lowered by about 280 feet

Accepted Answer

The Little Ice Age was characterized by a significant cooling period where alpine glaciers grew in size and advanced, affecting various parts of the world.

Question 16

The most recent North American glaciers reached their maximum thickness and extent between about ____.
A)700 and 600 million years ago
B)65 and 55 million years ago
C)​2.5 and 2 million years ago
D)​50,000 and 45,000 years ago
E)​26,000 and 20,000 years ago

Accepted Answer

The most recent North American glaciers reached their maximum thickness and extent between about 26,000 and 20,000 years ago during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM).

Question 17

The greatest warming experienced over the globe in the last 100 years has occurred in ____.
A)Greenland and the mid-latitude continents in summer and fall
B)the United States in winter and spring
C)​parts of Antarctica during the entire year
D)​the arctic and over the mid-latitude continents in winter and spring
E)​the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere and parts of Antarctica in spring and summer

Accepted Answer

The option D mentions that the greatest warming occurred in the arctic and over the mid-latitude continents in winter and spring, which is supported by scientific data and research. The other options mention specific regions or seasons which do not necessarily represent the overall global trend of warming over the last 100 years.

Question 18

The continental ice sheets over North America disappeared ____.
A)between about 9,000 and 6,000 years ago
B)approximately 14,700 years ago
C)​about 2.5 million years ago
D)​between about 5,000 and 4,000 years ago
E)​about 1300 years ago

Accepted Answer

The disappearance of the continental ice sheets over North America occurred between about 9,000 and 6,000 years ago, which is consistent with the timing of the Holocene climate optimum. Option B is incorrect because it refers to the end of the last glacial maximum, which is when the ice sheets reached their maximum extent, not when they disappeared. Option C is incorrect because it refers to the start of the Pleistocene epoch, which is when the first major glaciations occurred, not when the most recent ice sheets disappeared. Option D is incorrect because it refers to a time period that is too recent for the disappearance of the ice sheets. Option E is incorrect because it refers to a time period that is too recent and does not match any known climate events.

Question 19

The Viking colony in Greenland perished during the ____.
A)Pleistocene epoch
B)climatic optimum
C)​Little Ice Age
D)​Younger Dryas
E)​Bölling-Alleröd period

Accepted Answer

The Viking colony in Greenland was established during the Medieval Warm Period (climatic optimum) in the 10th century but perished during the Little Ice Age, which began in the 14th century and lasted until the 19th century.

Question 20

The ____ represents a time about 12,000 years ago when northeastern North America and northern Europe reverted to glacial conditions.
A)Younger Dryas
B)Pleistocene epoch
C)​mid-Holocene maximum
D)​Bölling-Alleröd period
E)​Medieval Climatic Optimum

Accepted Answer

The period described in the question is known as the Younger Dryas, which occurred about 12,000 years ago and saw a sudden return to glacial conditions in parts of the world that were emerging from the last ice age. The other choices listed are all different periods or events in Earth's climate history.

Quiz 18: Global Climate

The Ice Age,which began about 2.5 million years ago,is also known as the ____.

What allowed human and animal migration to occur from Asia to North America?

Throughout much of Earth's history,the global climate was probably ____ it is today.

Generally,the ____ the air when the snow fell,the richer the concentration of oxygen-16 in an ice core.

Even a rise in global temperature of several degrees Celsius might be enough to raise sea level by ____ or more.

Thick sheets of ice advanced over North America as far south as New York as recently as ____.

The higher the ratio of oxygen-18 to oxygen-16 in the shells of organisms that lived in the sea during the geologic past,the ____ the climate at that time.

Over the Northern Hemisphere,the period from 1983 to 2012 was likely the warmest 30-year period of the last ____ years,according to the IPCC.

Glaciers form over land where temperatures are sufficiently low so that,during the course of a year,____.

Ice core data from Greenland reveal that rapid shifts in climate (from ice age conditions to a much warmer state) took place in as little as ____ over central Greenland around the end of the Younger Dryas.

18,000 years ago,huge ice sheets called ____ covered vast areas of North America and Europe.

Presently glaciers cover ____ of Earth's surface.

Most of the ice on Earth is in the ____ ice sheets.

Dendrochronology is the study of ____.

During the Little Ice Age,____.

The most recent North American glaciers reached their maximum thickness and extent between about ____.

The greatest warming experienced over the globe in the last 100 years has occurred in ____.

The continental ice sheets over North America disappeared ____.

The Viking colony in Greenland perished during the ____.

The ____ represents a time about 12,000 years ago when northeastern North America and northern Europe reverted to glacial conditions.