Atmosphere Basics
True or False: "Weather is the state of the air and atmosphere at a particular time and place
True
Fill in the blank: The main difference between weather and climate is ________.
Time
Which of these is a climate type: dry, sunny, or frozen?
Dry
True or False: Mountains have no effect on precipitation.
False (mountains can create rain shadows and affect precipitation)
Climate ______ are needed to predict what will happen to climate in the future. (Fill in blank)
Models
Which gas is most associated with the greenhouse effect and rising global temperatures?
Carbon dioxide
What single word describes the long-term average of temperature, humidity, and rainfall patterns?
Climate
Which climate receives more than 59 inches of rain every year?
Tropical
What term refers to the rise in global temperatures due mainly to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases?
Global warming
What do climate models predict will happen if we keep increasing greenhouse gas production?
Earth's climate will get warmer.
Name one layer of Earth's atmosphere.
Troposphere (accept Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere, Exosphere)
Climate change and global warming are the same things and can be used interchangeably.
False
Which climate never has temperatures higher than 10°C?
Polar
Looking back at historical data, which relationship between greenhouse gases and temperature is correct?
When the greenhouse gases were low in the atmosphere, temperatures were cooler.
True or False: Climate models are only guesses and never use real data.
False (they use physical laws and real data to make projections)
What is the term for the mixture of gases that surrounds Earth?
Atmosphere
Give both examples of short-term climate variations.
El Niño or La Niña
Which climate typically has warm and humid summers and mild winters?
Temperate
What do long ice core records contain that helps scientists study past climate?
Air bubbles that trap past greenhouse gas concentrations and climate information (and layered snow/chemical markers)
Name one human activity that increases greenhouse gas concentrations.
Burning fossil fuels (also accept deforestation, some agricultural practices)
At 300 feet deep in ice cores, the snow turns into what?
Ice
Which direction does wind typically blow in an El Niño event?
West to east
Select the five main types of climates from this list: dry, polar temperate, continental, sunny, tropical, polar, frozen, temperate.
dry, continental, tropical, polar, temperate
Which of the following are short-term climate changes: Temperate, Ozone, El Niño, La Niña?
El Niño and La Niña
Explain briefly how climate models help scientists plan for future impacts (1–2 sentences, 7th-grade level).
Example: Climate models use data about greenhouse gases, sunlight, and Earth's systems to simulate future temperature and weather changes; this helps predict impacts like sea level rise and stronger storms so communities can prepare.