[Q]: I read this background article the other day: Beginning in the late 1970's, ozone depletion was recognized as a significant environmental issue. The most dramatic decrease in ozone occurs seasonally over the continent of Antarctica. The size and duration of the ozone hole steadily increased, with the largest hole recorded in 2006. Fortunately, most countries have recognized the danger of CFCs and dramatically curtailed their use in recent years. It is hoped that ozone depletion will slow and that the ozone layer may eventually be restored to its earlier levels. I am facing a new situation today: Factories around the world produce lots of CFCs which deplete the ozone layer. One year a large number of these factories decided they would implement efforts to reduce the amount of CFCs they release into the atmosphere. As a result the depletion of the ozone layer greatly decreased. However, the companies realized that this was hurting profits too much and reverted their decision. As a result the ozone layer began to rapidly deplete again. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Will the ozone layer deplete faster or slower if more companies that emit CFCs are built?
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[A]: more

[Q]: I read this background article the other day: Wildfires occur when all the necessary elements of a fire triangle come together in a susceptible area: an ignition source is brought into contact with a combustible material such as vegetation, that is subjected to enough heat and has an adequate supply of oxygen from the ambient air. A high moisture content usually prevents ignition and slows propagation, because higher temperatures are needed to evaporate any water in the material and heat the material to its fire point. Dense forests usually provide more shade, resulting in lower ambient temperatures and greater humidity, and are therefore less susceptible to wildfires. Less dense material such as grasses and leaves are easier to ignite because they contain less water than denser material such as branches and trunks. Plants continuously lose water by evapotranspiration, but water loss is usually balanced by water absorbed from the soil, humidity, or rain. When this balance is not maintained, plants dry out and are therefore more flammable, often a consequence of droughts.A wildfire front is the portion sustaining continuous flaming combustion, where unburned material meets active flames, or the smoldering transition between unburned and burned material. As the front approaches, the fire heats both the surrounding air and woody material through convection and thermal radiation. First, wood is dried as water is vaporized at a temperature of 100 C (212 F). Next, the pyrolysis of wood at 230 C (450 F) releases flammable gases. Finally, wood can smoulder at 380 C (720 F) or, when heated sufficiently, ignite at 590 C (1,000 F). Even before the flames of a wildfire arrive at a particular location, heat transfer from the wildfire front warms the air to 800 C (1,470 F), which pre-heats and dries flammable materials, causing materials to ignite faster and allowing the fire to spread faster. High-temperature and long-duration surface wildfires may encourage flashover or torching: the drying of tree canopies and their subsequent ignition from... I am facing a new situation today: Near the city of Middleton, there are two forests. The Trine forest is a forest tightly packed with trees. Trine has hardly any large open spaces on the ground. The Jimpy forest, on the other hand, is much more open. It has some large areas in the forest that are perfect for camping or for children to play in due to the lack of trees. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Is the temperature in the Jimpy forest higher or lower than in the Trine forest?
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[A]: higher

[Q]: I read this background article the other day: During May, June, and July, the Northern Hemisphere is exposed to more direct sunlight because the hemisphere faces the Sun. The same is true of the Southern Hemisphere in November, December, and January. It is Earth's axial tilt that causes the Sun to be higher in the sky during the summer months, which increases the solar flux. However, due to seasonal lag, June, July, and August are the warmest months in the Northern Hemisphere while December, January, and February are the warmest months in the Southern Hemisphere. I am facing a new situation today: In the year 1630 during the month of January Captain Cook began his voyage from the port of Calais in Europe, which is in the Northern Hemisphere. His intention was to find the mythical land in the Southern Hemisphere. After about eleven months of sailing, in December 1630, he reached Australia, which is indeed in the Southern Hemisphere. Thinking he finally reached the mythical land, he commenced his return voyage to Europe on June, 1631, He reached Europe in the middle of the following year on July, 1632. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: In which place the Sun was higher in the sky when Captain Cook returned back from his voyage in the year 1632, Europe or Australia?
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[A]: Europe

[Q]: I read this background article the other day: Ocean acidification occurs when excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes the oceans to become acidic. Burning fossil fuels has led to an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This carbon dioxide is then absorbed by the oceans, which lowers the pH of the water. Ocean acidification can kill corals and shellfish. It may also cause marine organisms to reproduce less, which could harm other organisms in the food chain. As a result, there also may be fewer marine organisms for humans to consume. I am facing a new situation today: Two islands were situated in different oceans. Hill island used fossil fuels and released a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, while Coral island was very protective towards the air and the ocean. Using the knowledge I acquired from the background article, how should I answer correctly the following question regarding my new situation: Which island caused marine organisms to reproduce less?
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[A]:
Hill