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The great ice ages were primarily the result of changes in what?
AThe tilt of Earth's axis
BThe output of the Sun
CThe height of the Alps
DThe size of the oceans
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. The tilt of Earth's axis
1. Ice ages have returned periodically over the past half million years.
2. Their main cause is a change in the tilt of Earth's rotational axis.
3. The gravity of the other planets nudges that tilt over long spans of time.
4. Mountain height changes far too slowly to set the timing of the ice ages.
_Source: OpenStax Astronomy (CC BY 4.0), section 8.3 Earth’s Atmosphere_
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