WGU D199 STUDY GUIDE (INTRODUCTION TO
PHYSICAL AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY) REVISION
QUESTIONS FOR EXAM PREPARATIONS 2025|2026
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.
PHYSICAL AND HUMAN GEOGRAPHY) REVISION
QUESTIONS FOR EXAM PREPARATIONS 2025|2026
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.
