Global warming is associated with melting polar ice and rising sea levels due to which long-term trend?

Study for the FMS Science Test. Engage with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, each enhanced with hints and explanations. Prepare thoroughly for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Global warming is associated with melting polar ice and rising sea levels due to which long-term trend?

Explanation:
The long-term trend being tested is that more heat gets trapped in the atmosphere by increased greenhouse gases, strengthening the greenhouse effect. This extra trapping raises Earth's average temperature over time, warming oceans and land, which causes polar ice to melt and the water to expand as it warms—leading to rising sea levels. The other ideas don’t fit the pattern: cooling the atmosphere or a decrease in solar radiation would not produce the observed warming and melting, and rainfall alone isn’t the main driver of sea-level rise or polar ice melt.

The long-term trend being tested is that more heat gets trapped in the atmosphere by increased greenhouse gases, strengthening the greenhouse effect. This extra trapping raises Earth's average temperature over time, warming oceans and land, which causes polar ice to melt and the water to expand as it warms—leading to rising sea levels. The other ideas don’t fit the pattern: cooling the atmosphere or a decrease in solar radiation would not produce the observed warming and melting, and rainfall alone isn’t the main driver of sea-level rise or polar ice melt.

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