Access GeographyUnit 3

Week 15

The Dynamic EarthIntroduction

Today’s Targets

• 1.Review the last module

• 2. Introduce physical systems and processes

• 3. Outline key themes• 4. Introduce Hydrology• 5. Review lesson aims

Review of Last Module

• What key themes did you identify?• What were the common differences

between more and less economically developed countries?

• Were there any unexpected issues or trends occurring in the countries that you studied?

Introduction to Physical Systems

• In the physical world there are four main spheres or ‘worlds’. Can you name them?

• Air• Water• Life• Rocks (soil)• What do you know about each area?• In each case, the sphere operates as

a system with inputs, processes and outputs

• Can you represent such a system as a diagram?

• On a planetary scale, apart from the solar energy (an open system), these are closed systems

• They all interlink

Biotic and abiotic systems

Key Themes• Part 1. The hydrological cycle and

the river basin system: how does water move around the planet and how do rivers and streams affect landscapes

• Part 2. Ecosystems and vegetation biomes: the links between climate, soils, vegetation and human activity

• Part 3. Atmospheric processes and climate: how the global atmospheric system affect the climate in particular places and how human activities are changing the climate