Explain how clearcutting large areas of tropical rain forest can change the climate and water cycle.
What will be an ideal response?
Normally, water evaporated from a tropical rainforest rises in the form of heated water vapor and eventually cools and condenses. This cycle perpetuates the constant rains that nurture the forest. When large areas of tropical forest are cleared, the cycle is interrupted and the daily rains cease. When this happens the cleared areas dehydrate and are vulnerable to conversion to savanna.
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Briefly describe some possible future changes in the shape and size of the African Plate
What will be an ideal response?
Carbon dioxide is a major factor in the global warming story since it
A. is present in the atmosphere in incredibly large quantity. B. creates its own heat through a poorly understood reaction. C. releases energy as a result of molecular decay. D. absorbs more infrared radiation than it emits.
What are three mitigation steps that could be taken to stabilize the greenhouse gas content of the atmosphere?
What will be an ideal response?
Which of the following is likely observed in a region where severe thunderstorms are producing tornadoes?
A. a dry tongue of cold air between the 700 and 500 hPa levels B. cool air moving north at about the 850 hPa level C. a strong ridge of high pressure over the region D. absolutely stable air in the lower troposphere