ESE 200 Exam Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2026/2027
The time between the last 10,000 years and now is known as - Answers the interglacial period
Why does the atmosphere increase the temperature of the Earth? - Answers the atmosphere
reduces the rate at which radiation escapes (the atmosphere stops heat radiation from quickly
escaping the earth, like a blanket)
Which of the following data sources informs us that the Earth's climate varied w the orbital
(Milankovitch) cycles? - Answers ice cores (contain atmospheric samples from hundreds of
thousands of years ago- the same period as the cycles.)
Near the end of the Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago, the Earth was much warmer
then it is today. Scientists ascribe this, in part, to - Answers high CO2 concentrations
How can volcanoes cool the Earth? - Answers by increasing the Earth's albedo (volcanoes add
particles in the atmosphere that reflect light from the sun before it can reach the ground)
Can you use weather data to determine the climate? why? - Answers yes- if you have enough
weather records (climate is the average weather over long periods of time)
What are Milankovitch cycles? - Answers predictable changes in the Earth's orbit (these cycles
in Earth's orbit are predicted by physics)
Which of the following is a Milankovitch period length that has been observed in Pleistocene
climate records? - Answers 100,000 years
If there was no atmosphere, the Earth's average temp would be about -18 degrees C (below O
degrees F). The Earth is much warmer than this! Why? - Answers The Earth's atmosphere traps
heat like a natural greenhouse (remember that the atmosphere reflects and absorbs some of
the outgoing radiation so that it spends more time near the Earth's surface)
According to computer simulations, what is the most likely trend of global temp in the next 100
years? - Answers 3 to 5 F warming (scientists expect the Earth to keep warming at a slightly
higher rate than we've seen in the 20th century)
According to proxy and instrumental data, what is the general trend of global temperature in the
last 200 years? - Answers 1 to 2 degrees F warming
If the Earth is in "Energy balance", this means: - Answers the incoming energy equals the
outgoing energy (not changing over time)
Why is CO2 thought to act as a "greenhouse gas"? - Answers CO2 is more transparent to visible
then to infrared radiation (the sun's rays come to us in the visible part of the spectrum, but
largely leave in the infrared part)
Which of the following statements is true? - Answers Climate is the average of the weather
, Instrument data has been used to record the temperature trends of the Earth for more than a
century. Over this time period the records indicate that - Answers the Earth as a whole has
warmed by more than one degree F
CO2 is an important greenhouse gas put into the atmosphere, significantly as a result of human
activities. What is another? - Answers methane
What is the difference between climate and weather? - Answers climate is the average of
weather over long periods of time
Over the past 800,000 years, when was CO2 in the atmosphere the highest? - Answers today
Which of the following is a possible contributor to man-made global warming? - Answers
increase in methane emissions from farming
Why are Milankovitch cycles thought to be important in the variation of the Earth's climate over
the last 2 million years? - Answers temp changes and Milankovitch cycles have the same
periods (temp and orbital cycles move together)
Which of the following is an important way in which scientists attempt to predict future climate
change? - Answers computer stimulations
Which part of an ice-core is the oldest? - Answers the bottom
If we have two different "stable isotopes" of oxygen, this means - Answers the two have
different masses
How can volcanoes cool the Earth? - Answers by reducing the Earth's albedo
The Quaternary period is the geologic period that spans from 2 million years ago until today.
What was the avg Quaternary climate like, compared to the climate today? - Answers the was
generally cooler than today
Virtual water is - Answers embedded in traded products
Over the last decade, food production has - Answers increased globally (the Green Revolution
requires more agricultural inputs- but on the other hand, yields have gone up, keeping food
relatively low priced and plentiful and preventing widespread famine)
Yemen experiences a shortfall between its water use and the available water resources. This
situation is described as - Answers water stress (if there isn't enough water to go around, then
the water is stressed)
How does the concept of "virtual" or "embedded" water address the issue of water stress? -
Answers it can be easier to trade "embedded" water, then water itself (by replacing the need for
actual water, virtual water reduces water demand, and thus water stress)
The time between the last 10,000 years and now is known as - Answers the interglacial period
Why does the atmosphere increase the temperature of the Earth? - Answers the atmosphere
reduces the rate at which radiation escapes (the atmosphere stops heat radiation from quickly
escaping the earth, like a blanket)
Which of the following data sources informs us that the Earth's climate varied w the orbital
(Milankovitch) cycles? - Answers ice cores (contain atmospheric samples from hundreds of
thousands of years ago- the same period as the cycles.)
Near the end of the Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago, the Earth was much warmer
then it is today. Scientists ascribe this, in part, to - Answers high CO2 concentrations
How can volcanoes cool the Earth? - Answers by increasing the Earth's albedo (volcanoes add
particles in the atmosphere that reflect light from the sun before it can reach the ground)
Can you use weather data to determine the climate? why? - Answers yes- if you have enough
weather records (climate is the average weather over long periods of time)
What are Milankovitch cycles? - Answers predictable changes in the Earth's orbit (these cycles
in Earth's orbit are predicted by physics)
Which of the following is a Milankovitch period length that has been observed in Pleistocene
climate records? - Answers 100,000 years
If there was no atmosphere, the Earth's average temp would be about -18 degrees C (below O
degrees F). The Earth is much warmer than this! Why? - Answers The Earth's atmosphere traps
heat like a natural greenhouse (remember that the atmosphere reflects and absorbs some of
the outgoing radiation so that it spends more time near the Earth's surface)
According to computer simulations, what is the most likely trend of global temp in the next 100
years? - Answers 3 to 5 F warming (scientists expect the Earth to keep warming at a slightly
higher rate than we've seen in the 20th century)
According to proxy and instrumental data, what is the general trend of global temperature in the
last 200 years? - Answers 1 to 2 degrees F warming
If the Earth is in "Energy balance", this means: - Answers the incoming energy equals the
outgoing energy (not changing over time)
Why is CO2 thought to act as a "greenhouse gas"? - Answers CO2 is more transparent to visible
then to infrared radiation (the sun's rays come to us in the visible part of the spectrum, but
largely leave in the infrared part)
Which of the following statements is true? - Answers Climate is the average of the weather
, Instrument data has been used to record the temperature trends of the Earth for more than a
century. Over this time period the records indicate that - Answers the Earth as a whole has
warmed by more than one degree F
CO2 is an important greenhouse gas put into the atmosphere, significantly as a result of human
activities. What is another? - Answers methane
What is the difference between climate and weather? - Answers climate is the average of
weather over long periods of time
Over the past 800,000 years, when was CO2 in the atmosphere the highest? - Answers today
Which of the following is a possible contributor to man-made global warming? - Answers
increase in methane emissions from farming
Why are Milankovitch cycles thought to be important in the variation of the Earth's climate over
the last 2 million years? - Answers temp changes and Milankovitch cycles have the same
periods (temp and orbital cycles move together)
Which of the following is an important way in which scientists attempt to predict future climate
change? - Answers computer stimulations
Which part of an ice-core is the oldest? - Answers the bottom
If we have two different "stable isotopes" of oxygen, this means - Answers the two have
different masses
How can volcanoes cool the Earth? - Answers by reducing the Earth's albedo
The Quaternary period is the geologic period that spans from 2 million years ago until today.
What was the avg Quaternary climate like, compared to the climate today? - Answers the was
generally cooler than today
Virtual water is - Answers embedded in traded products
Over the last decade, food production has - Answers increased globally (the Green Revolution
requires more agricultural inputs- but on the other hand, yields have gone up, keeping food
relatively low priced and plentiful and preventing widespread famine)
Yemen experiences a shortfall between its water use and the available water resources. This
situation is described as - Answers water stress (if there isn't enough water to go around, then
the water is stressed)
How does the concept of "virtual" or "embedded" water address the issue of water stress? -
Answers it can be easier to trade "embedded" water, then water itself (by replacing the need for
actual water, virtual water reduces water demand, and thus water stress)
