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Which of the following claims is best supported by the data in the graph above?

a) Temperatures are rising everywhere on Earth.

b) The global climate has warmed in the last 50 years.

c) Global temperatures fluctuate over time (increase and decrease), but there is no overall trend.

d) Need more information to make a conclusion

User EnaJ
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The claim best supported by the data is that the global climate has warmed in the last 50 years. Evidence shows a significant increase in global land and ocean temperatures, indicating an upward trend in climate warming due to greenhouse gas emissions since the Industrial Revolution.Option C is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question posed is which claim is best supported by the data indicating changes in global temperature. Taking into account the information provided, it's evident that global climate has warmed in the last 50 years.

This is characterized by a rise in average land and ocean temperatures and the effects observed, such as melting glaciers. With the given data, claim (b) 'The global climate has warmed in the last 50 years' is the most supported option, confirming that temperatures have increased since the Industrial Revolution mainly due to the rise in greenhouse gas levels associated with fossil-fuel burning.

It is important to note that while temperatures fluctuate over time, the overall trend indicates a warming climate. Furthermore, projections suggest that if greenhouse gas emissions continue, we can expect a further increase in temperatures, with greater warming over land and in the Arctic due to less heat absorption capacity and as-of-yet not fully understood reasons, respectively.

User NineWasps
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