ERSC 1020H Final Exam Prep Question
and answers already passed
Course themes used in ERSC 1010 and 1020 - correct answer ✔Science
governance
values and ideas
technology
politics, interests, power
scale and jurisdiction
uncertainty, risk and complexity
What was the common position of climate change in the 1950's - correct
answer ✔That natural processes can keep up with human generated CO2
What are the working groups of the IPCC and what do they target? - correct
answer ✔WGI - scientific aspects
WGII - vulnerability, impact, adaptation
WGIII - mitigation
Does the IPPC conduct research? - correct answer ✔No, they assess
research/literature but do not conduct their own research
If we went net-zero tomorrow, would climate change stop? - correct answer
✔no, there are no processes that can remove GHG's from the atmosphere
fast enough for their to be an immediate and observable difference
Why study climate change in the arctic? - correct answer ✔Because it is
changing faster than anywhere else
,How much has arctic sea ice decreased since the 1980s? - correct answer
✔about 50% reduction
What do models predict in relation to arctic sea ice extent - correct answer
✔They predict an overall decline, but this decline is happening much faster
than models have predicted
Most ice (70%) is how old? - correct answer ✔between 0-1 years of age
What is albedo - correct answer ✔The fraction of solar energy reflected back
from the earths surface to space
How much energy is observed by multiyear ice, in comparison to the energy
absorbed by the ocean - correct answer ✔Multiyear reflects 85% and only
absorbs 15%. Oceans absorb 93% and only reflect 7%
What are the impacts of the melting of the Greenland ice sheet? - correct
answer ✔freshwater is less dense than salt water, so the melting of these ice
sheets can have a huge effect on the ocean
In what year can the arctic ocean be completely ice free in summers? - correct
answer ✔it could happen as early as 2040
What is released from melting permafrost - correct answer ✔pathogens and
dead plant/animal matter (creates CO2 and CH4)
Releases tHg/total mercury and meHg/methyl mercury
makes regions more susceptible to erosion (coastal
, Implication of wildfire soot - correct answer ✔creates a layer of soot on top of
glaciers that reduces albedo, and amplifies global warming
What are the changes in terrestrial ecosystems that are occuring due to
cliamte change - correct answer ✔treeline shifting north
invasion by non-native species
increased forest fires
increased carbon uptake by more productive vegetation
thawing permafrost
change in range/livelihood of animals
Reduced sea ice has affected .... - correct answer ✔gene flow (seals cannot
mate as efficiently, walruses cannot eat their mollusks....)
Climate change effects on marine ecosystem in the arctic? - correct answer
✔declining ice cover/age
decline in under ice productivity
shrinking habitats
invasion by non-native species
What are the two ways that climate change is affected arctic infastructure -
correct answer ✔permafrost thawing means unstable grounds - buildings are
collapsing
coastal erosion
Building of mines in the arctic - correct answer ✔a lot of unexplored oil and
gas are being exposed by thawing permafrost
arctic shipping routes have been exposed by permafrost thaw
and answers already passed
Course themes used in ERSC 1010 and 1020 - correct answer ✔Science
governance
values and ideas
technology
politics, interests, power
scale and jurisdiction
uncertainty, risk and complexity
What was the common position of climate change in the 1950's - correct
answer ✔That natural processes can keep up with human generated CO2
What are the working groups of the IPCC and what do they target? - correct
answer ✔WGI - scientific aspects
WGII - vulnerability, impact, adaptation
WGIII - mitigation
Does the IPPC conduct research? - correct answer ✔No, they assess
research/literature but do not conduct their own research
If we went net-zero tomorrow, would climate change stop? - correct answer
✔no, there are no processes that can remove GHG's from the atmosphere
fast enough for their to be an immediate and observable difference
Why study climate change in the arctic? - correct answer ✔Because it is
changing faster than anywhere else
,How much has arctic sea ice decreased since the 1980s? - correct answer
✔about 50% reduction
What do models predict in relation to arctic sea ice extent - correct answer
✔They predict an overall decline, but this decline is happening much faster
than models have predicted
Most ice (70%) is how old? - correct answer ✔between 0-1 years of age
What is albedo - correct answer ✔The fraction of solar energy reflected back
from the earths surface to space
How much energy is observed by multiyear ice, in comparison to the energy
absorbed by the ocean - correct answer ✔Multiyear reflects 85% and only
absorbs 15%. Oceans absorb 93% and only reflect 7%
What are the impacts of the melting of the Greenland ice sheet? - correct
answer ✔freshwater is less dense than salt water, so the melting of these ice
sheets can have a huge effect on the ocean
In what year can the arctic ocean be completely ice free in summers? - correct
answer ✔it could happen as early as 2040
What is released from melting permafrost - correct answer ✔pathogens and
dead plant/animal matter (creates CO2 and CH4)
Releases tHg/total mercury and meHg/methyl mercury
makes regions more susceptible to erosion (coastal
, Implication of wildfire soot - correct answer ✔creates a layer of soot on top of
glaciers that reduces albedo, and amplifies global warming
What are the changes in terrestrial ecosystems that are occuring due to
cliamte change - correct answer ✔treeline shifting north
invasion by non-native species
increased forest fires
increased carbon uptake by more productive vegetation
thawing permafrost
change in range/livelihood of animals
Reduced sea ice has affected .... - correct answer ✔gene flow (seals cannot
mate as efficiently, walruses cannot eat their mollusks....)
Climate change effects on marine ecosystem in the arctic? - correct answer
✔declining ice cover/age
decline in under ice productivity
shrinking habitats
invasion by non-native species
What are the two ways that climate change is affected arctic infastructure -
correct answer ✔permafrost thawing means unstable grounds - buildings are
collapsing
coastal erosion
Building of mines in the arctic - correct answer ✔a lot of unexplored oil and
gas are being exposed by thawing permafrost
arctic shipping routes have been exposed by permafrost thaw
