I have a new situation: Robert was watching the local news when he saw a report about a wildfire. The report stated that there was a brush fire in the southwest part of Texas, where it was currently daytime. When he switched the channel, he saw another report about a different wildfire. This one was a forest fire in the northwest part of Seattle, where it was currently nighttime.  But I can use this background: Wildfire intensity increases during daytime hours. For example, burn rates of smoldering logs are up to five times greater during the day because of lower humidity, increased temperatures, and increased wind speeds. Sunlight warms the ground during the day and causes air currents to travel uphill, and downhill during the night as the land cools. Wildfires are fanned by these winds and often follow the air currents over hills and through valleys. United States wildfire operations revolve around a 24-hour fire day that begins at 10:00 a.m. because of the predictable increase in intensity resulting from the daytime warmth.  What is an answer for this question: Which area, Texas or Seattle, will have lower temperatures at the time of the fire?
Ans: Seattle

I have a new situation: Two neighboring towns used different approaches to agriculture. Big town used pesticides and fertilizers, while Small town applied permaculture principles and organic farming methods.  But I can use this background: Huge amounts of chemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides, are applied to farm fields (see Figure below ). Some of the chemicals are picked up by rainwater. Runoff then carries the chemicals to nearby rivers or lakes. Dissolved fertilizer causes too much growth of water plants and algae. This can lead to dead zones where nothing can live in lakes and at the mouths of rivers. Some of the chemicals can infiltrate into groundwater. The contaminated water comes up in water wells. If people drink the polluted water, they may get sick.  What is an answer for this question: Which town had more pesticides picked up by rain water?
Ans: Big

I have a new situation: Two bird islands in the Atlantic Ocean had very different climate changes during the last 5 years. Bone island experienced drought, while Finch island experienced flooding.  But I can use this background: A period of very low rainfall occurred while the Grants were on the islands. The drought resulted in fewer seeds for the finches to eat. Birds with smaller beaks could eat only the smaller seeds. Birds with bigger beaks were better off. They could eat seeds of all sizes. Therefore, there was more food available to them. Many of the small-beaked birds died in the drought. More of the big-beaked birds survived and reproduced. Within just a couple of years, the average beak size in the finches increased. This was clearly evolution by natural selection.  What is an answer for this question: Which island had fewer seeds for the finches as a result of drought?
Ans: Bone

I have a new situation: In the beginning of year 1000 mount Etna had a huge volcanic eruption. To test the effect of volcanic eruption on sea level scientists measured geological data through carbon dating. They measured the data for four different time point - for year 998, year 1000, year 1002, and year 1010. Scientists now need to compare and analyze these data.  But I can use this background: As the thermal expansion is the key factor to the sea level variability, decreased heat content should result in a reduction in global mean sea levelon a decadal time scale.[2] However, Grinsted [2007] argued that a significant sea level rise is the first direct response to the volcanic eruption, and after that sea level becomes to drop. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is the imbalance of ocean mass fluxes. After the volcano eruption, evaporation over ocean becomes lower, because it is largely determined by the ocean skin temperature change. The quick response of evaporation to the surface cooling and the delayed response of river runoff to the associated lower precipitation lead to an increased sea level. About 1~2 years later, river discharge becomes less due to the reduced precipitation and less sea ice melting, which cause sea level to drop.[9]  What is an answer for this question: In the year 1000, would the sea level be higher or lower than year 1002?
