How would the climate respond to warming if it is currently at an unstable equil

Question

How would the climate respond to warming if it is currently at an unstable equilibrium point? This is illustrated in the figure below by the ball on the mountain top (unstable equilibrium point). Remember: warming tilts the climate potential towards more negative gradients (tilted clockwise).

Select one:

a. The climate (ball) would cool until it reaches the next lower equilibrium point.

b. It cant be said, as it is an unstable equilibrium point.

c. The climate would stay at the unstable equilibrium point.

d. The climate (ball) would warm until it reaches the next warmer equilibrium point.

Explanation / Answer

The climate ball would warm until it reaches the next warmer equilibrium point. As temperature rises, the warming increases and it has already been mentioned that increase in temperature leads to a clockwise rotation of the climate ball from the unstable position where it falls in the slope of negative gradient.

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