Why Should We Study Geography?

Physical Geography
Study: Geography Greek to Young Americans
Thursday, May 4, 2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- After more than three years

of combat, nearly two-
two-thirds of Americans aged 18
to 24 still cannot find Iraq on a map.
GEOGRAPHY 1710 Six months after Hurricane
Katrina devastated New Orleans and
the Gulf Coast, 33 percent could not
point out Louisiana on a U.S. map.
DAVID R. SALLEE

Geography is: Are there famous The Science of Geography

geographers? z Geography – from geo
z The science that 1. Prince William graduated Earth” and graphein “to write”
“Earth” write”
studies the with a Master of Arts in
relationships Geography from the z Geography is
among University of St Andrews.
– a method, not a body
– natural systems, 2. Michael Jordan earned a of knowledge
basketball scholarship to the
– geographic
University of North Carolina,
Carolina,
areas, where he majored in
z Geographers use spatial
– society, geography. analysis
– cultural 3. Mother Theresa taught
activities, geography. z Geography is commonly
– and the divided into two major branches:
interdependence 1- cultural geography (human geography) and
of all of these 2- physical geography (natural geography).
over space.

Physical
Geography Geography
The spatial
analysis of all
the physical
elements and
processes that
make up the
Earth's
hydrosphere,
hydrosphere,
biosphere,
biosphere,
atmosphere,
atmosphere,
and
lithosphere.
lithosphere.

1
 Earth Systems Concepts
The Earth system as a whole is a closed
system. The boundary of the Earth
Geographers z Open system is the outer edge of the
use the systems atmosphere. Virtually no mass is
exchanged between the Earth system
scientific z Closed and the rest of the universe (except for
method systems
an occasional meteorite).

The functioning of our planet relies on

a constant input of energy from the
sun. This energy leaves Earth in the
form of heat flowing to outer space.
From a systems point of view, Earth is
an open system with respect to
energy.
Figure 1

Systems

Figure 1.3 Figure 1.4

Earth’s dimensions Location and Time on Earth

z Latitude
z Longitude
z Great
circles
z Prime
Meridian
and
standard
time Great circles
Figure 1.9

2
 Latitude
Latitude

• Geographic zones are generalizations that

characterize various regions by latitude.
• Think of these as transitional into one another over
Figure 1.11
broad areas.

Prime Meridian and Standard

Longitude Time

Figure 1.14 Figure 1.17

Scale
Maps, Scales, and Projections
z Map – a
generalized view
of an area, as
seen from above
and reduced in
size
z Scale – ratio of
map units to
ground units
z Projection –
process of
transforming
spherical Earth to
flat map Three common expressions of map scale-
scale-written
scale, representative fraction, and graphic scale.

3
 Classes
of
Projections

Conversion of the globe to

a flat map projection
requires decisions about
which properties to
preserve and the amount
of distortion that is
acceptable. Figure 1.22

Remote Sensing Active and Passive Remote

Remote Sensing is the science and art of Sensing
acquiring information (spectral, spatial, Passive Active
temporal) about material objects, area, or sensing sensing
phenomenon, without coming into physical visible radar
contact with the objects, area, or phenomenon light
under investigation.
Active remote sensing
Makes use of sensors that detect
reflected responses from objects that
are irradiated from artificially-
generated energy sources, such as
radar.

Passive remote sensing

Makes use of sensors that detect the
reflected or emitted electro-magnetic Figure 1.25
radiation from natural sources.

Remote Sensing Geographic Information Systems

z GIS systems
Simply put, a GIS
combine spatial combines layers of
and attribute information about a
data place to give you a
better understanding
z Maps can contain of that place. What
multiple data layers of information
layers: you combine depends
on your purpose—
purpose—
– Physical finding the best
features location for a new
store, analyzing
– Cultural environmental
features damage, viewing
similar crimes in a
z Layers can be city to detect a
added to create pattern, and so on.
Figure 1.26
composite overlay