26 Questions on The Water Planet in The Geography - Study Guide | GEOG 1250, Study notes of Geography

Download 26 Questions on The Water Planet in The Geography - Study Guide | GEOG 1250 and more Study notes Geography in PDF only on Docsity! Geography 1250 – Spring 2011 Exam 2 - Study Guide Disclaimer: This study guide is not meant to be an exhaustive review of all materials that may serve as sources for exam questions (lectures, readings, in-class discussion, and videos). Rather, this guide functions as a test preparation aid and covers typical areas of knowledge that will appear on the exam. 1. In what three types of locations on Earth are arid and semi-arid lands likely to be found? Why? Explain the conditions under which maximum wind erosion will occur in drylands. What types of landscapes are created by river (fluvial) processes in drylands? 2. How is a drought defined? How does a drought area differ from one that has a normally arid or semi-arid climate? 3. Define desertification and identify its two major causes. Discuss why the Sahel region in Africa is undergoing desertification. What are the impacts of this process on the lives and livelihoods of people in the region? Is the Sahel a natural dryland or going through a drought? What causes salinization? 4. What is the difference between ‘weather’ and ‘climate’? Give examples of each. How or why do people confuse the two in everyday discussions? 5. What does the Greenhouse Effect do for the Earth? What are the common Greenhouse gases? How are humans impacting or changing the actions of the Greenhouse Effect? How will this impact Earth’s water? 6. What is the ozone layer and how does it protect Earth? How is the Ozone Layer different from the Greenhouse Effect? 7. What scientific based evidence shows that global climate changes have occurred in the past? Is global warming occurring now? If so, what evidence indicates it is warming? 8. Explain three possible weather and sea changes that may occur if current rates of global warming do continue to increase by the expected 2˚F over the next century. What impacts on human health can occur (and have occurred) from global warming? 9. What percent of Earth’s water is saltwater? Freshwater? Easily extractible from lakes, rivers, and ponds (surface water)? Why do humans rely mostly on surface water and groundwater supplies? 10. What are major concerns for water use in the future? As in: explain the world’s major water supply problems related to supply vs. demand and location issues. Which economic sectors account for the most water use globally? Why did the U.S. experience a major increase in water use in the 1950s and why are developing nations facing a similar surge now? What are differences in rural vs. urban water supplies? ECU - V. Reynolds 11. What are impacts on humans and the environment from lack of water? What produces or distributes disease causing agents (pathogens, like e. coli or cholera) and how do they contaminate water sources? What impacts do pathogens have on humans? 12. Discuss the major water resource conflicts on the Colorado River s. Who is involved in this conflicts (countries, states, tribes, other)? 13. How have humans historically solved water supply issues? What are common technological fixes to water supply problems? Which is currently cheapest? Most expensive? Describe some consequences or problems that arise from technological fixes such as groundwater development, interbasin transfers of water, and building of dams. Discuss how evaporation/condensation methods differ from the reverse osmosis method of desalination and why both are still so expensive. 14. What is groundwater and where is it located? How does the water table relate to groundwater? What is an aquifer? How does water enter the ground and how is it extracted by humans? What is a “recharge rate” and how does that differ between the East and Western U.S. and why is this important to know? How does a cone of depression form? What are common problems from groundwater mining (overdraft)? What is subsidence and where is it happening in the U.S.? What is saltwater intrusion and how does it occur? Additional Questions from the readings and in-class films: 15. From “Global Warming: The Signs and The Science video: What is the impact of global warming on Alaska and on food production such as rice and oOn human health in cities and in the example of Greeley, CO? Why is China’s growing population of concern in terms of the Greenhouse Effect? Why are poor people more likely to suffer from global warming’s impacts? How is the U.S. economy and energy supply, such as at Port Fourchon, LA tied to global warming? 16. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/DustBowl/ - Why did the Dust Bowl occur? What was it? What were the impacts on humans and the local environment from the Dust storms? How is this similar to what is happening in the Sahel region of Africa? 17. http://www.eoearth.org/article/Desertification - What is desertification? Where is it happening? What role do people play in causing this problem? What are the environmental and human health impacts? What can be done to prevent or reduce this problem? 18. What is the Greenhouse Effect and how does it operate normally? What are greenhouse gases? What role do humans play in changing these processes and gas concentrations? http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/atmosphere/greenhouse_effect.html 19. What are expected weather changes from global warming? Where would they occur? http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/weather_systems/ future_geographies_severe_weather.html ECU - V. Reynolds