Why are cities usually warmer than surrounding rural areas?
What will be an ideal response?
The transition from rural landscape to city areas is often correlated with significant climate changes. Cities tend to be warmer than rural areas causing what is called an urban heat island. There are four reasons that might contribute to the heat island effect:
1. Cities have less vegetation than rural areas.
2. Rock, concrete, and asphalt often replace soil and naturally porous landscapes.
3. Buildings and other structures trap heat closer to the city.
4. Buildings, factories, and automobiles release pollutants and gaseous substances as well as generate waste heat.
You might also like to view...
Archaeocyathids can be characterized by all of the following except
a. sessile. b. benthos. c. constructed reef-like structures. d. suspension feeder. e. sediment bottom feeder.
What aspect of tropical cyclones tends to cause the greatest death and destruction?
A) the intensely low atmospheric pressure in the storm's eye B) the intense wind C) flooding from rain, waves, and storm surge D) lightning from thunderstorms spawned by the cyclone
This cloud that is NOT precipitating and covers the entire sky, forming a low blanket of clouds that causes overcast conditions. What kind of cloud is this?
A. altostratus B. stratus C. cirrostratus D. nimbostratus
One reason biodiversity is such an important aspect of sustainability is that it ____.
A. maintains a ready supply of new materials for water, soil, and food B. is the ultimate source of energy for plants C. provides vital ecosystem services through the interactions among species and keeps any population from growing too large D. makes life less susceptible to constant adaptation and changing environmental conditions E. increases ecotourism in less developed countries