Physical GeographyPhysical Geography
What is Physical Geography?• Examines the relationships among
patterns and processes within the physical environment
• Study of earth’s physical processes• Geology – rocks and earth formations • Environmental science – human interaction
with the environment• Topography – earth’s features• Cartography – map making.
How are Physical Factors spatially defined?
Location: The location of a place or thing on the earth’s surface
Absolute Location: The exact spot of a place on the earth’s surface
-Use Latitude and Longitude to define it
Ex. - Toyko, Japan is at 36° N Latitude and 140° E Longitude
Relative Location: The location of a place in relation to another place or thing
Ex.) Sonic is across the street from Kroger
Globe: Scale model of the earth
Zero Degrees Latitude is the Equator
Numbers get higher the further North or South you move away from the Equator
90 Degree North (North Pole)
90 Degrees South (South Pole)
AKA: Parallels
Latitude lines measure North or South of the Equator
KNOW THESE LINES KNOW THESE LINES and their latitude and their latitude measurements!! measurements!!
EquatorEquator
2 Tropics2 Tropics
2 Circles2 Circles
2 Poles2 Poles
AKA- Meridians
Zero Degrees longitude is the Prime Meridian. 180 degrees East or West is the International Date Line
By international agreement - 0 degrees longitude runs through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England
Numbers get higher the farther you move either East of West
Longitude lines measure East or West of the Prime Meridian
Where lines of latitude and longitude cross they form a pattern known as:
(a global address)
Each degree of the earth is equal to 1/360 of the earth. Each degree of the earth is equal to 1/360 of the earth.
Each degree is divided into 60 minutes (‘). Each minute = 60 seconds (“)Each degree is divided into 60 minutes (‘). Each minute = 60 seconds (“)
HemispheresHemispheres
If you cut the Earth through the Equator you would get two
halves, the Northern and Southern Hemisphere
If you cut the Earth through the Prime Meridian you would get two halves, the Western
and Eastern Hemisphere
The US is in the Western Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere
Basic Geography
0• 0 latitude –
Equator– (Distance from
it has large effect on climate)
• 0 longitude –Prime Meridian– (Distance from
it has no effect on climate)
Rotation
• The spinning of the earth on its axis
• Takes 24 hours
• Creates night & day
Revolution• The orbit of the earth around the sun
• Takes 365 ¼ days
• Creates the seasons
Polar Night• When the polar region is tilted away from the sun – the
polar area receives 24 hours of darkness. When it is pointed toward the sun the area receives 24 hours of daylight.
EQUINOX• Direct rays of the sun
are located on the EQUATOR
• Days and nights are equal in length
• Spring (Vernal) and Fall (Autumnal)
• When it is Spring in the northern hemisphere it is Fall in the southern hemisphere (the opposite is also true)
SOLSTICE• Direct rays of the sun are
located on the TROPIC OF CANCER OR CAPRICORN
• Days and nights are not equal in length – summer days are longer – winters nights are longer
• Summer and Winter
• When it is Winter in the northern hemisphere it is Summer in the southern hemisphere (the opposite is also true)
Red – LOW LATITUDES
0 – 23 ½ North & South
Tropics
Hot and Humid
Green – MID LATITUDES
23 ½ - 66 ½ North & South
Temperate
Mild
THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD’S PEOPLE LIVE IN THE TEMPERATE ZONE!!
Blue – HIGH LATITUDES
66 ½ - 90 North & South
Polar
Cold and Dry
LITHOSPHERE LITHOSPHERE
http://mediatheek.thinkquest.nl/~ll125/images/struct.jpg
Solid, rocky crust covering entire planet.
www.space.gc.ca
ATMOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE
• 78% Nitrogen
• Just under 21% Oxygen
• less than 1% argon, carbon dioxide & other gasses
The air surrounding Earth
HYDROSPHERE HYDROSPHERE
All the water in or near the Earth
BIOSPHERE BIOSPHERE
Composed of all living organisms• Plants
• Animals
• One-celled organisms
How do physical process affect:
•7 continents – Africa, Asia, Antarctica, South America, 7 continents – Africa, Asia, Antarctica, South America, North America, Europe & AustraliaNorth America, Europe & Australia
•5 Oceans – Southern, Arctic, Pacific, Indian, Atlantic5 Oceans – Southern, Arctic, Pacific, Indian, Atlantic
FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/97/The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg/300px-The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg
LACEMOPSLACEMOPS
Weather –Weather – The daily condition of the atmosphere which includes temperature and precipitation.
Precipitation - Precipitation - Moisture that falls from the sky. Precipitation has 4 forms: rain, snow, sleet, and hail.
Climate - Climate - Average weather. Measured over an extended period of time (usually 30 years).
http://www.mnh.si.edu/archives/garden/images/4seasons.gif
L - LATITUDE - L - LATITUDE - The most important factor! The farther from the Equator - the colder and drier it becomes. Direct rays of the sun are always between the Tropics. Areas not in the tropics receive indirect sun rays.
A - AIR MASSES A - AIR MASSES
In the Northern Hemisphere, cold air from the Polar Regions comes from the north. Hot air from the tropics comes from the south,
Mountains to the north of a city could block the cold air from reaching the city.
(opposite in the Southern Hemisphere).
C - CONTINENTALITY C - CONTINENTALITY
Water moderates climate. Water takes longer to heat and cool than land. Areas inland from the coast will be hotter in the summer and colder in the winter than areas with the same latitude on the coast.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://edc.usgs.gov/imagegallery/imageSrc/United%2520States-NED500.jpg&imgrefurl=http://edc.usgs.gov/imagegallery/imageDetail.php%3Fpage%3D18%26img%3DUnited%2BStates-NED%26id%3D2071%26col%3DStates%2B-%2BNED%2BShaded%2BRelief&h=353&w=500&sz=121&hl=en&start=17&um=1&tbnid=tsJBVC5mQRiZ6M:&tbnh=92&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dunited%2Bstates%2B%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLG%26sa%3DG
E - ELEVATION E - ELEVATION It gets colder as you go up a mountain. The formula for vertical climate is: Temperature decreases 3.5º F for every 1,000 feet increase in elevation (the opposite is also true). You can work out the temperature at the top of a tall mountain.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.savetibet.org/images/images/MountEverest.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.savetibet.org/news/newsitem.php%3Fid%3D1050&h=300&w=400&sz=22&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=ODjU-A29uyNbXM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmt%2Beverest%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26rls%3DGGLG,GGLG:2005-42,GGLG:en
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/images/0314-01.jpg
3.5° (from formula)3.5° (from formula) X 15X 15 (how many thousands of feet the mountain is tall) (how many thousands of feet the mountain is tall) 52.5°52.5° (how much colder at the top than the bottom) (how much colder at the top than the bottom)
It is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft. tall mountain. What is the temperature It is 75º at the base of a 15,000 ft. tall mountain. What is the temperature on top of the mountain?on top of the mountain?
First, count the First, count the thousands…thousands…((1515,000) ,000)
75° (temperature at bottom)75° (temperature at bottom) - 52.5- 52.5° (how much colder at the top)° (how much colder at the top) 22.5 ° (temperature at the top) 22.5 ° (temperature at the top) Answer Answer
Second, Second, multiply that multiply that number by number by 3.5…3.5…
Third, Third, Subtract that Subtract that number from the number from the temperature at temperature at the base to get the base to get the answer…the answer…
M - MOUNTAIN BARRIERS M - MOUNTAIN BARRIERS
Orographic effect: Wind containing moisture hits the windward side of a mountain (the side facing the wind).
Moisture-full clouds are too heavy to get over the mountain so precipitation occurs, after they’re empty, they are able to rise over the mountain.
The side facing away from the wind is called the leeward side. The leeward side of a mountain is arid.
The windward side has lush vegetation.
The leeward side of a mountain is in the rain shadow and is usually a desert.
O - OCEAN CURRENTS O - OCEAN CURRENTS
Cold currents bring dry, cool air to the coastal areas.Cold currents bring dry, cool air to the coastal areas.
Warm currents bring warm, wet air to coastal areas. Warm currents bring warm, wet air to coastal areas.
http://go.owu.edu/~jbkrygie/krygier_html/geog_111/geog_111_lo/geog_111_lo05_gr/3-16.jpg
P - PRESSURE AND PREVAILING WINDS: P - PRESSURE AND PREVAILING WINDS:
Notice that these lines are located at 0, 30, 60, 90 (not 0, 23 ½, 66 ½, and 90)
Pressure
High pressure is heavy, cold air. Low pressure is warm, light air.
Heat rises. There are some fairly constant air pressure systems.
http://www.worldstats.org/general_world/maps/prevailing_winds_big.gif
Prevailing Winds Prevailing Winds
The Equator is surrounded by an area of calm called the Doldrums (ITCZ).
The Trade Winds (Tropical Easterlies) blow from east to west (generally warm and moist).
Westerlies (Prevailing Westerlies). They blow from west to east.
The Polar Easterlies blow from 90º in an eastward direction toward the Westerlies. There are serious thunderstorms around the 60º latitude line where the two wind patterns collide
Notice that these lines are Notice that these lines are located at 0, 30, 60, 90 (not 0, 23 located at 0, 30, 60, 90 (not 0, 23 ½, 66 ½, and 90)½, 66 ½, and 90)
S - STORMS S - STORMS Where the Polar Easterlies meet the Westerlies there are thunderstorms.
When hot air masses and cold air masses collide - there are storms.
Cyclonic storms (hurricanes, typhoons, etc.) in the Northern Hemisphere spin counter-clockwise.
In the Southern Hemisphere cyclones spin clockwise.
Continental DriftContinental Drift
The theory that the land of the earth was once connected as one The theory that the land of the earth was once connected as one large super continent (Pangaea) and has moved “drifted” to its large super continent (Pangaea) and has moved “drifted” to its current locations (still moving)current locations (still moving)
Plate TectonicsPlate Tectonics
The theory that the crust of the earth is broken up into plates (8 The theory that the crust of the earth is broken up into plates (8 major and many minor) that “float” on the mantlemajor and many minor) that “float” on the mantle
The plate boundaries of the world.The plate boundaries of the world.
SubductionSubduction
When a sea plate and continental plate collide, the heavier sea plate When a sea plate and continental plate collide, the heavier sea plate DIVES under the lighter continental plate. The sea plate then is DIVES under the lighter continental plate. The sea plate then is heated and becomes magma which escapes through volcanoes. heated and becomes magma which escapes through volcanoes.
SpreadingSpreading
When sea plates pull apart leaving a rift, or deep crack. When sea plates pull apart leaving a rift, or deep crack. Magma wells up between the two plates to make Magma wells up between the two plates to make underwater volcanoes and ridges.underwater volcanoes and ridges.
VolcanoVolcano
mountain mountain formed by formed by lava (magma) lava (magma) that breaks that breaks through the through the earth’s crust.earth’s crust.
Ring of FireRing of Fire
area along the edge of the Pacific Ocean that is a zone area along the edge of the Pacific Ocean that is a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanoes.of frequent earthquakes and volcanoes.
FoldingFolding
when moving plates squeeze the earth’s surface until it when moving plates squeeze the earth’s surface until it bends the layers of rock.bends the layers of rock.
Faulting Faulting
When moving plates When moving plates grind past each other, grind past each other, creating cracks in the creating cracks in the curst.curst.
EarthquakeEarthquake
sudden, violent moving of plates along a fault where sudden, violent moving of plates along a fault where built up pressure suddenly snaps and shifts.built up pressure suddenly snaps and shifts.
Water erosionWater erosion
fast-moving water cuts into fast-moving water cuts into the land as it flows the land as it flows downstream. Ocean waves downstream. Ocean waves can also erode coastal cliffs. can also erode coastal cliffs. WATER is the most WATER is the most significant cause of erosion. significant cause of erosion. Water Erosion creates Water Erosion creates canyonscanyons
DeltaDelta
the flat, low-lying plain that sometimes forms at the mouth of a river from deposits of sediments.
Deltas form as rivers empty their water and sediment into another body of water, such as an ocean, lake, or another river.
They are called deltas because the alluvial deposit at the river’s mouth looks like the Greek letter delta (∆)
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