__ 17. How can climate change impact an El Niño event? a. Warmer air currents can transfer thermal energy to the ocean, changing ocean currents. b. Warmer atmospheric air can alter the salinity of the oceans in the Atlantic. c. Cooler air currents can reverse La Niña events in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. d. Cooler air can result in increased tropical storms during tropical storm seasons. 18. In the research described in the article,what would be the most likely independent and dependent

## Step 1<br />The first question is about the potential impacts of climate change on an El Niño event. El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The options provided suggest different ways in which climate change could potentially impact an El Niño event.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The second question is about the independent and dependent variables in a research study. In a research study, the independent variable is the one that is manipulated or controlled by the researcher, while the dependent variable one that is measured or observed.