MYTH OR FACT
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

OCEANS & ICE
CLIMATE CONSEQUENCES
STUMP THE EXPERTS
100

Many people say volcanoes emit more CO₂ than humans each year.
Answer: Myth. Human activities emit far more CO₂ than volcanoes.


What is a Myth.  Human activities emit far more CO₂ than volcanoes.

100

This gas is responsible for most human-caused warming.


Answer: What is carbon dioxide?

100

What absorbs about one-quarter of human CO₂ emissions.


What is the Earth’s Oceans.

100

$100

Rising temperatures increase the frequency and severity of these dangerous heat events.

Answer: What are heat waves?


100

$100

The year atmospheric CO₂ first exceeded 400 parts per million was approximately this decade.

Answer: What is the 2010s?


200

The Earth’s climate has always changed naturally, so current warming must be natural too.


What is a Myth. Natural climate changes occur, but current warming is primarily driven by human emissions.

200

Greenhouse gases trap this form of energy leaving Earth’s surface.


Answer: What is infrared radiation (heat)?


200

This floating Arctic ice has been shrinking rapidly in recent decades.


What is sea ice.

200

$200

Warmer air can hold more of this, increasing heavy rainfall events.

Answer: What is water vapor?


200

$200

This observatory in Hawaii has provided the most famous continuous record of atmospheric CO₂.


Answer: What is Mauna Loa Observatory?

300

Scientists disagree widely about whether climate change is happening.


Answer: Myth. The overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree it is occurring.

300

Burning coal, oil, and natural gas releases large amounts of this gas.


What is Carbon Dioxide.  


300

As oceans absorb more CO₂, they become more of this.


What is acidic? 

300

$300

This natural disaster becomes more likely when vegetation dries out.

Answer: What are wildfires?


300

About what percentage of climate scientists agree that humans are causing global warming?

Answer: What is roughly 97–99%?


400

A cold winter storm proves global warming isn’t real.


Answer: Myth. Climate refers to long-term trends, not individual weather events.


400

This greenhouse gas is more potent than CO₂ but remains in the atmosphere for a shorter time.


What is Methane?

400

The loss of this reflective surface causes Earth to absorb more solar energy.


What is Ice of snow?

400

$400

Low-lying island nations are especially vulnerable to this consequence of climate change.

Answer: What is sea-level rise?

400

$400

This term describes the ability of forests, oceans, and soils to absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

Answer: What is a carbon sink?


500

Carbon dioxide makes up less than 1% of the atmosphere, so it cannot affect climate.


What is a myth?  Small concentrations can have powerful effects on heat retention.

500

Many people think greenhouse gases are harmful, but without them Earth would be too cold for most life. The real concern is that humans are increasing these gases and strengthening this natural phenomenon.


What is the green house gas effect.  

500

This massive ice sheet contains enough ice to raise global sea levels by more than 20 feet if completely melted.


What is the Greenland Ice Sheet? 

500

$500

Climate scientists use this term for a major change that can reinforce warming, such as melting permafrost releasing methane.

Answer: What is a positive feedback loop?

500

$500

To limit warming to around 1.5°C, the world must generally reach this status around mid-century.

Answer: What is net-zero greenhouse gas emissions?

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