Which best describes global warming?(1 point)
Responses
A. It is the day-to-day changes in temperature, precipitation, wind, and humidity.
B. It is the changes to Earth’s climate due to increased temperature.
C. It is the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activity.
D. It is the trapping of heat energy due to the addition of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
C. It is the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activity.
To determine the best option that describes global warming, let's analyze each response:
A. It is the day-to-day changes in temperature, precipitation, wind, and humidity.
This option refers to daily weather fluctuations, which are not directly related to global warming. Global warming is a long-term trend, not a short-term variation.
B. It is the changes to Earth’s climate due to increased temperature.
This option points in the right direction. Global warming does indeed entail changes to Earth's climate as a result of rising temperatures. However, it doesn't specify the cause of the temperature increase.
C. It is the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activity.
This statement accurately describes global warming. It explains that the rise in Earth's average surface temperature is primarily caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. This option accounts for both the temperature increase and its attribution to human actions.
D. It is the trapping of heat energy due to the addition of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
While this option is partly correct, it focuses solely on the mechanism of heat trapping in the atmosphere through the increase of carbon dioxide levels. Although this is a contributing factor to global warming, it fails to encompass the entire concept.
Based on these considerations, the best option to describe global warming is:
C. It is the increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activity.