Unit 6: Urbanization

Question 1

Benefits of living in a megacity

Answer 1

Public transportation, varied employment, access to health and education, access to fresh foods, lower carbon footprint, access to entertainment.

Question 2

Why would you have a lower carbon footprint when living in a megacity?

Answer 2

Walking, biking, less distance to drive.

Question 3

Negatives of living in a megacity

Answer 3

Crowded, air pollution, heat island effect.

Question 4

Drawbacks to urbanization

Answer 4

Water cycle impact, impermeable surfaces, carbon cycle, urban sprawl, and heat island effect.

Question 5

Water cycle impact of urbanization

Answer 5

Water diversion and salt water intrusion.

Question 6

Water diversion in urbanization

Answer 6

Upstream there is flooding, downstream there is drought and less nutrients.

Question 7

Saltwater intrusion in urbanization

Answer 7

Sea level rise and overdrawing can contaminate well water.

Question 8

Mitigation to the water cycle impact of urbanization

Answer 8

Positive hydraulic barriers, negative hydraulic barriers, subsurface barriers, reverse osmosis.

Question 9

What is the carbon cycle impact of urbanization?

Answer 9

Increase in decomposition, CO2, and air pollution.

Question 10

Urban sprawl

Answer 10

The change in population distribution from high population density areas to low density suburbs that spread into rural areas.

Question 11

What are the effect of urban sprawl?

Answer 11

Increases impermeable surfaces, less mass transit, and more burning of fossil fuels.

Question 12

Heat island effect

Answer 12

Because there is more pavement in urbanized areas, there is a lower albedo because dark color absorbs light. This makes it 3 to 10 degrees celsius hotter.

Question 13

Remediation to urbanization

Answer 13

Plant more vegetation, increase mass transit, permeable pavement, remediate brownfields, urban planning (build up, not out).