EAPS 100 MIDTERM 2 EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
What does Earth's stable climate over the last 500 million years indicate about climate
feedbacks? - Answer- It indicates that the planet has many negative climate feedbacks.
What technique could rapidly increase planetary albedo to cool the climate? - Answer-
Artificially creating clouds.
What has caused the increase in atmospheric carbon concentration over the last 200
years? - Answer- The burning of fossil fuels for energy during the global industrialization
period.
What is a greenhouse gas? - Answer- A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs infrared
radiation emitted from the Earth's surface, contributing to the greenhouse effect and
global warming.
Why is the melting of major continental ice sheets concerning? - Answer- It is
concerning because a significant proportion of Earth's population lives close to sea
level, rising sea levels could displace large numbers of people, and coastal land will
lose value as it becomes unsustainable to live there.
How could artificially creating clouds or injecting aerosols into the stratosphere cool the
planet? - Answer- Both methods would increase the planetary albedo, reflecting more
sunlight away from the Earth and potentially cooling the planet.
Is it easy to remove large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it
geologically? - Answer- False, it is not trivial to remove large quantities of carbon from
the atmosphere and sequester it.
What is the current hypothesis for the mass extinction that occurred 251 million years
ago at the end of the Permian period? - Answer- Intense volcanism caused large
quantities of fossil fuels to be burned over a short period of time, leading to rapid climate
change.
What are broad, flat areas of the seafloor adjacent to mid-ocean ridges called? -
Answer- Abyssal Plains
, What bathymetric feature is associated with subduction zones? - Answer- A deep sea
trench
Which process does not generate ocean waves? - Answer- Heating sea water through
absorption of solar radiation
What happens to the bottom of ocean waves as they approach the shore? - Answer-
Slows down
What could trigger a tsunami? - Answer- Underwater earthquake, Asteroid impact,
Underwater landslide
If you feel a major earthquake at the beach and the ocean rapidly recedes, what should
you do? - Answer- Seek high ground
Which type of fault is least likely to generate a tsunami? - Answer- Strike-slip fault
What type of coastlines tend to form at rifted margins? - Answer- Submergent
Can the interaction of ocean waves with the coastline lead to erosion? - Answer- Yes
What are ways in which ocean waves can cause erosion along coastlines? - Answer- All
of the above (Moving sediment away from the coast, Fracturing rock, Abrading rock)
What process causes ocean waves to refract as they approach the coastline? - Answer-
Reduction of the wave's speed due to its interaction with the seafloor
Do headlands concentrate wave energy and erosion due to wave refraction? - Answer-
Yes
In which direction does longshore drift of sediment occur along this coastline? - Answer-
Toward the bottom left of the photograph
What tends to happen to coastlines through time due to wave energy concentration on
headlands? - Answer- Straighten coastlines
When does the largest tidal range occur? - Answer- When the gravitational pull of the
sun and moon are aligned
What is an inevitable consequence of the construction of breakwaters? - Answer- Both
of the above answers are correct (The deposition of sediment in calmer waters behind
the breakwater, Concentration of wave energy and erosion at the breakwater)
What should be considered when developing coastal areas for human use? - Answer-
The constant change of coastlines
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS
What does Earth's stable climate over the last 500 million years indicate about climate
feedbacks? - Answer- It indicates that the planet has many negative climate feedbacks.
What technique could rapidly increase planetary albedo to cool the climate? - Answer-
Artificially creating clouds.
What has caused the increase in atmospheric carbon concentration over the last 200
years? - Answer- The burning of fossil fuels for energy during the global industrialization
period.
What is a greenhouse gas? - Answer- A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs infrared
radiation emitted from the Earth's surface, contributing to the greenhouse effect and
global warming.
Why is the melting of major continental ice sheets concerning? - Answer- It is
concerning because a significant proportion of Earth's population lives close to sea
level, rising sea levels could displace large numbers of people, and coastal land will
lose value as it becomes unsustainable to live there.
How could artificially creating clouds or injecting aerosols into the stratosphere cool the
planet? - Answer- Both methods would increase the planetary albedo, reflecting more
sunlight away from the Earth and potentially cooling the planet.
Is it easy to remove large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it
geologically? - Answer- False, it is not trivial to remove large quantities of carbon from
the atmosphere and sequester it.
What is the current hypothesis for the mass extinction that occurred 251 million years
ago at the end of the Permian period? - Answer- Intense volcanism caused large
quantities of fossil fuels to be burned over a short period of time, leading to rapid climate
change.
What are broad, flat areas of the seafloor adjacent to mid-ocean ridges called? -
Answer- Abyssal Plains
, What bathymetric feature is associated with subduction zones? - Answer- A deep sea
trench
Which process does not generate ocean waves? - Answer- Heating sea water through
absorption of solar radiation
What happens to the bottom of ocean waves as they approach the shore? - Answer-
Slows down
What could trigger a tsunami? - Answer- Underwater earthquake, Asteroid impact,
Underwater landslide
If you feel a major earthquake at the beach and the ocean rapidly recedes, what should
you do? - Answer- Seek high ground
Which type of fault is least likely to generate a tsunami? - Answer- Strike-slip fault
What type of coastlines tend to form at rifted margins? - Answer- Submergent
Can the interaction of ocean waves with the coastline lead to erosion? - Answer- Yes
What are ways in which ocean waves can cause erosion along coastlines? - Answer- All
of the above (Moving sediment away from the coast, Fracturing rock, Abrading rock)
What process causes ocean waves to refract as they approach the coastline? - Answer-
Reduction of the wave's speed due to its interaction with the seafloor
Do headlands concentrate wave energy and erosion due to wave refraction? - Answer-
Yes
In which direction does longshore drift of sediment occur along this coastline? - Answer-
Toward the bottom left of the photograph
What tends to happen to coastlines through time due to wave energy concentration on
headlands? - Answer- Straighten coastlines
When does the largest tidal range occur? - Answer- When the gravitational pull of the
sun and moon are aligned
What is an inevitable consequence of the construction of breakwaters? - Answer- Both
of the above answers are correct (The deposition of sediment in calmer waters behind
the breakwater, Concentration of wave energy and erosion at the breakwater)
What should be considered when developing coastal areas for human use? - Answer-
The constant change of coastlines
