Urban environments

Urban environments

Open Ended

How do cities affect the environment (air, water, land, plants and animals)?

Urban environments

• Urban environments are the human-made or built structures and spaces in which people live, work and recreate on a day-to-day basis

• All forms of urban environments are interconnected with the biophysical environment. 

• The biophysical environment includes the 'bio' aspect (plants, animals, humans) and the physical aspect (the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere).

Activity 1

Read Ch 7.2.2 on page 177 and highlight different ways that urban environments effect the atmosphere.

Open Ended

How do urban environments effect the atmosphere?

Activity 2

Watch video and skim article in order to answer the following questions:

1. What causes the heat island effect?

2. How can we reduce the amount of heat in our cities?

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Video: Urban Heat Island Effect explained

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Open Ended

What causes the heat island effect and how can we reduce the amount of heat in our cities?

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What is acid rain and how is it caused?

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What is the greenhouse effect and how is it caused?

Summary: Effect of urban environment on atmosphere

• Dangerous gases are emitted

• Causing smog, light and noise pollution

• Acid rain (sulphur and nitrogen oxides which combine with atmospheric water to form acids.)

• and greenhouse gases

Hydrosphere

• A hydrosphere is the total amount of water on a planet. The hydrosphere includes water that is on the surface of the planet, underground, and in the air. A planet's hydrosphere can be liquid, vapour, or ice. On Earth, liquid water exists on the surface in the form of oceans, lakes and rivers.

Activity

Read 7.2.3 on page 178 in order to answer the question:

Why might the development of big cities lead to increasing demand for water? What are some ways people have tried to cope with this demand?

Open Ended

Why might the development of big cities lead to increasing demand for water? What are some ways people have tried to cope with this demand?

Activity

Read Ch 7.2.4 pp. 178 in order to answer the question: How have humans changed the lithosphere and what is the effect of this?

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How have humans changed the lithosphere and what is the effect of this?

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How can the light in our cities affect the biosphere (plants and animals)?

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How can noise pollution effect animals?