Quick Quiz Answers

1. Polar bears are a main predator of penguins (False. Polar bears live in the Arctic, while penguins live in the Antarctic.)
2. The North Pole spends half the year in darkness and half in light. (True)
3. The Arctic is entirely frozen, making it one of the coldest habitats on earth. (False. It's not entirely frozen, in fact its frozen area fluctuates seasonally. The Antarctic is the coldest, driest, windiest, most uninhabited continent on earth.)
4. There is an Arctic shipping shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans that expedites water travel between Europe and Asia. (False. However, some scientists believe such a pathway could be ice-free and open for travel sometime this century.)
5. The Arctic area is considered an early warning system for climate change. (True, because of its unique environment and sensitivity to temperature change)
6. There is land beneath the North Pole that causes ice to melt in the summer months. (False. There is no land beneath the North Pole; it is a shifting pack of sea ice 6–10 feet thick that floats above the Arctic Ocean.)
7. Global warming affects the Beaufort Sea and its surrounding regions. (True. It has changed the pattern and rates of melting ice in the Arctic regions.)
8. The Arctic region hosts many species of plants and animals. (True. Although a harsh habitat, it supports a thriving ecosystem.)
9. What happens in the Arctic regions affects people around the world. (True. Students will be exploring this truism in this lesson.)