WGU D199
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL
AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Questions with correct
Answers (a+ graded)
Updated syllabus
Super pass 100%
in the last 10,000 years: - ANSWER ✅humans began modifying the land surface
for growing food with advent of agricultural revolution
the agricultural revolution roughly - ANSWER ✅coincides with a warm
interglacial period that began about 11,700 years ago which is called the
HOLOCENE era (warm stable climate)
the last 270 years of the holocene ushered into the - ANSWER ✅INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION when climate pollution began to increase dramatically
the industrial revolution was powered by - ANSWER ✅fossil fuels
what began after world war II? - ANSWER ✅the great acceleration (1950-
present)
-caused depletion in the ozone layer
-After 1950, the biodiversity of species started decreasing and the extinction of
species accelerated
The Great Acceleration marks the beginning of - ANSWER ✅Homo sapiens'
truly massive global imprint on the planet
-The climate has already warmed by 1°C since 1900.
-If humans continue with business-as-usual consumption of fossil fuels, the
warming between 1900 and 2100 could exceed 4°C.
, the greenhouse effect. - ANSWER ✅It is this trapping of heat energy that
otherwise would have escaped to space through the atmosphere
-allows solar radiation to enter
-the blanket effect
is the greenhouse effect real? - ANSWER ✅-Satellites routinely measure the
incoming solar energy and the outgoing heat energy from the planet
-Independently, the heat energy emitted by the surface has been estimated using
observed surface temperatures on land and sea.
aerosols - ANSWER ✅-Visible smoke and smog are made up of tiny particles
-carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases cannot be seen by the human eye
-Most of these aerosols reflect sunlight and have a cooling effect
black carbon aerosols (a major component of soot) - ANSWER ✅-absorb solar
radiation entering the atmosphere and have a warming effect.
-warms the climate by absorbing solar energy rather than infrared energy from the
planet
super pollutants - ANSWER ✅-non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases and black
carbon particles
-per molecule, their warming effects are much larger than that of carbon dioxide.
The Northern Hemisphere has warmed more than the Southern Hemisphere,
largely because - ANSWER ✅the ocean's influence
At current emission growth levels—that is, under a "business as usual" scenario -
ANSWER ✅-another trillion tons of carbon dioxide will be added to the
atmosphere by about 2030
-At that point, the rate of climate change will be three times faster than the pace
experienced until now.
-unchecked emissions will lead to warming that could exceed 4°C
Earth is now experiencing the Anthropocene Era - ANSWER ✅-which means a
time when environmental change is driven by human activity
-One result of the Anthropocene Era is the increase in the greenhouse effect, which
might be better termed the "atmospheric blanket."
,vidence that human activity is the primary cause of global warming includes -
ANSWER ✅physical and satellite observations and the confirmation of the
predictions of scientific models.
How are satellites and weather balloons used with climate change model data? -
ANSWER ✅to confirm predictions
Why is global cooperation necessary to reduce the effects of increased carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere? - ANSWER ✅Gases travel quickly through the
atmosphere to all parts of the globe.
Which phrase describes a change that would reduce the climate effects of
methane? - ANSWER ✅Increase in sustainable agriculture
The CDM has two primary goals: - ANSWER ✅1) to promote sustainable
development in Global South countries
2) to allow industrialized countries to earn emissions credits from their investments
in emission-reducing projects in the South.
Created by Kyoto Protocol
Devised by the World Bank, it is slated to be a key component of any post-Kyoto
climate treaty - ANSWER ✅-Reducing emissions from deforestation and
degradation (REDD) is another offsetting mechanism
-REDD is intended to help Global South countries protect their remaining rain
forests and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation, forest
degradation, and peatland destruction.
-Countries that reduce net REDD emissions below a preset baseline would receive
credits that could be sold in carbon markets and used by purchasing nations to
meet their international mitigation obligations.
The Paris Agreement - ANSWER ✅-a global agreement that came into force in
2016 and builds on the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, with the
aim of limiting global temperature rise to less than 2°C above preindustrial levels
-All parties to the Paris Agreement are to report regularly on their emissions and
implementation efforts
-One major limitation is that the Paris Agreement is voluntary and has little in the
way of an enforcement mechanism.
, After fossil fuels, the second largest anthropogenic source of carbon dioxide is -
ANSWER ✅deforestration
The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 established - ANSWER ✅emissions targets, many of
which were aimed at the Global South, where deforestation is a big problem.
Why is deforestation a larger problem in the Global South than it is in the Global
North? - ANSWER ✅Developed countries, mostly in the Global North, deforested
much of their land long ago.
Cap-and-trade programs - ANSWER ✅-a program designed to manage carbon
dioxide emissions by either limiting a company's total emissions to a level allowed
by its permit, paying a tax for any overage, or purchasing other companies' permits
to cover its own overage of emissions
-rely on the issuance of a limited number of permits allowing a company to emit a
stated amount of carbon dioxide for a given year
-The total amount of all emissions allowed by the program is then the "cap" on
emissions
-Companies are taxed if they produce more emissions than their permits allow
-However, if a company does not expect to use all of its allowance of emissions, it
can sell ("trade") its unused permits to other companies.
The carbon cycle - ANSWER ✅the movement of carbon atoms from the
atmosphere to the earth (plants, animals, soil, rocks, etc.) and back again.
Which statement describes the significance of carbon sequestration? - ANSWER
✅Sequestration keeps carbon from recycling into the atmosphere.
-Carbon trapped in the soil is kept from being released into the atmosphere and
contributing to global warming.
two-level bargaining - ANSWER ✅approach of looking at national governments
and international cooperation
Kyoto Protocol of 1997 - ANSWER ✅-included a schedule of targets and
timetables for the 38 advanced industrialized countries while imposing no emission
control obligations on the rest of the world
-it did not require that they do much beyond what they would have done anyway
INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL
AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
Questions with correct
Answers (a+ graded)
Updated syllabus
Super pass 100%
in the last 10,000 years: - ANSWER ✅humans began modifying the land surface
for growing food with advent of agricultural revolution
the agricultural revolution roughly - ANSWER ✅coincides with a warm
interglacial period that began about 11,700 years ago which is called the
HOLOCENE era (warm stable climate)
the last 270 years of the holocene ushered into the - ANSWER ✅INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION when climate pollution began to increase dramatically
the industrial revolution was powered by - ANSWER ✅fossil fuels
what began after world war II? - ANSWER ✅the great acceleration (1950-
present)
-caused depletion in the ozone layer
-After 1950, the biodiversity of species started decreasing and the extinction of
species accelerated
The Great Acceleration marks the beginning of - ANSWER ✅Homo sapiens'
truly massive global imprint on the planet
-The climate has already warmed by 1°C since 1900.
-If humans continue with business-as-usual consumption of fossil fuels, the
warming between 1900 and 2100 could exceed 4°C.
, the greenhouse effect. - ANSWER ✅It is this trapping of heat energy that
otherwise would have escaped to space through the atmosphere
-allows solar radiation to enter
-the blanket effect
is the greenhouse effect real? - ANSWER ✅-Satellites routinely measure the
incoming solar energy and the outgoing heat energy from the planet
-Independently, the heat energy emitted by the surface has been estimated using
observed surface temperatures on land and sea.
aerosols - ANSWER ✅-Visible smoke and smog are made up of tiny particles
-carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases cannot be seen by the human eye
-Most of these aerosols reflect sunlight and have a cooling effect
black carbon aerosols (a major component of soot) - ANSWER ✅-absorb solar
radiation entering the atmosphere and have a warming effect.
-warms the climate by absorbing solar energy rather than infrared energy from the
planet
super pollutants - ANSWER ✅-non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases and black
carbon particles
-per molecule, their warming effects are much larger than that of carbon dioxide.
The Northern Hemisphere has warmed more than the Southern Hemisphere,
largely because - ANSWER ✅the ocean's influence
At current emission growth levels—that is, under a "business as usual" scenario -
ANSWER ✅-another trillion tons of carbon dioxide will be added to the
atmosphere by about 2030
-At that point, the rate of climate change will be three times faster than the pace
experienced until now.
-unchecked emissions will lead to warming that could exceed 4°C
Earth is now experiencing the Anthropocene Era - ANSWER ✅-which means a
time when environmental change is driven by human activity
-One result of the Anthropocene Era is the increase in the greenhouse effect, which
might be better termed the "atmospheric blanket."
,vidence that human activity is the primary cause of global warming includes -
ANSWER ✅physical and satellite observations and the confirmation of the
predictions of scientific models.
How are satellites and weather balloons used with climate change model data? -
ANSWER ✅to confirm predictions
Why is global cooperation necessary to reduce the effects of increased carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere? - ANSWER ✅Gases travel quickly through the
atmosphere to all parts of the globe.
Which phrase describes a change that would reduce the climate effects of
methane? - ANSWER ✅Increase in sustainable agriculture
The CDM has two primary goals: - ANSWER ✅1) to promote sustainable
development in Global South countries
2) to allow industrialized countries to earn emissions credits from their investments
in emission-reducing projects in the South.
Created by Kyoto Protocol
Devised by the World Bank, it is slated to be a key component of any post-Kyoto
climate treaty - ANSWER ✅-Reducing emissions from deforestation and
degradation (REDD) is another offsetting mechanism
-REDD is intended to help Global South countries protect their remaining rain
forests and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation, forest
degradation, and peatland destruction.
-Countries that reduce net REDD emissions below a preset baseline would receive
credits that could be sold in carbon markets and used by purchasing nations to
meet their international mitigation obligations.
The Paris Agreement - ANSWER ✅-a global agreement that came into force in
2016 and builds on the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, with the
aim of limiting global temperature rise to less than 2°C above preindustrial levels
-All parties to the Paris Agreement are to report regularly on their emissions and
implementation efforts
-One major limitation is that the Paris Agreement is voluntary and has little in the
way of an enforcement mechanism.
, After fossil fuels, the second largest anthropogenic source of carbon dioxide is -
ANSWER ✅deforestration
The Kyoto Protocol of 1997 established - ANSWER ✅emissions targets, many of
which were aimed at the Global South, where deforestation is a big problem.
Why is deforestation a larger problem in the Global South than it is in the Global
North? - ANSWER ✅Developed countries, mostly in the Global North, deforested
much of their land long ago.
Cap-and-trade programs - ANSWER ✅-a program designed to manage carbon
dioxide emissions by either limiting a company's total emissions to a level allowed
by its permit, paying a tax for any overage, or purchasing other companies' permits
to cover its own overage of emissions
-rely on the issuance of a limited number of permits allowing a company to emit a
stated amount of carbon dioxide for a given year
-The total amount of all emissions allowed by the program is then the "cap" on
emissions
-Companies are taxed if they produce more emissions than their permits allow
-However, if a company does not expect to use all of its allowance of emissions, it
can sell ("trade") its unused permits to other companies.
The carbon cycle - ANSWER ✅the movement of carbon atoms from the
atmosphere to the earth (plants, animals, soil, rocks, etc.) and back again.
Which statement describes the significance of carbon sequestration? - ANSWER
✅Sequestration keeps carbon from recycling into the atmosphere.
-Carbon trapped in the soil is kept from being released into the atmosphere and
contributing to global warming.
two-level bargaining - ANSWER ✅approach of looking at national governments
and international cooperation
Kyoto Protocol of 1997 - ANSWER ✅-included a schedule of targets and
timetables for the 38 advanced industrialized countries while imposing no emission
control obligations on the rest of the world
-it did not require that they do much beyond what they would have done anyway
