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Geography is the study of place and space. It combines both physical science and social science. That combination is reflected in geography’s two main branches – physical geography and human geography. Human geography studies human activity, the natural environment and the relationship between the two. Physical geography  -- our focus in GEOG 1301 – studies the location and distribution of features on the Earth’s surface. Our topics this semester are divided into five parts.

Physical Geography Margin Notes

        [Lecture links temporarily unavailable.]

Part #1    Elements of Geography

The Discipline of Geography

What Is Geography?

The Geographic Continuum

What Is Physical Geography?

Form vs. Process

The Tools of Geography

Cartography

The Geographic Grid

Scale

Map Projections

Types of Maps

Remote Sensing

Global Positioning System

Geographic Information Systems

Models

Graphs and Statistics

The Science of Geography

The Scientific Method

Systems Theory

The Environmental Systems

The Solar System

The Planetary System

Earth’s Size and Shape

Seasons

Time

Part #2   Hydrosphere

The Physical Properties of Water

The Hydrologic Cycle

The Oceans

The Cryosphere

Underground Water

Surface Water

Part #3    Biosphere

Geographic Approach to the Study of Organisms

Biogeochemical Cycles

Food Chains

Natural Distributions

Environmental Relationships

Ecosystems and Biomes

The Major Biomes

Part #4    Atmosphere

Characteristics of The Atmosphere

Composition

Structure

Temperature

Pressure

Wind

The Hydrological Cycle

The Köppen Climate Classification System

The Weather

Heating and Cooling

Temperature Patterns

Global Warming and The Greenhouse Effect

Localized Wind Systems

El Niño

Humidity

Clouds

Precipitation

Air Masses

Fronts

Atmospheric Disturbances

Global Climate Change

Part #5    Lithosphere

Soils and Landforms

Soil-Forming Factors

Properties

Profiles

Pedogenic Regimes

Classification

The Structure of Earth

The Composition of Earth

Landforms

Internal Processes

Plate Tectonics

Volcanism

Folding

Faulting

Weathering and Wasting

Weathering and Wasting

Mass Movement

Erosion

Karst Processes

Fluvial Processes

Desert Processes

Glacial Processes

Coastal Processes

Need Help with Your Course? Try These Resources!

Fundamentals of Physical Geography: a superb online textbook. A great, free reference. Very nice diagrams and graphs.

Geologic Atlas of Texas

Mariana Trench Dive Animation

Puerto Rico Trench Dive Animation

Views of the Solar System

Earth and Moon Viewer

Pangaea and Continental Drift (03:39)

Global Drought Monitor from UCL: real-time maps of world droughts

Global Floods from Dartmouth Drought Monitor at U of Colorado

Weather and Climate (04:25)

Selected World Climographs: quick climate references in a graphical format

Selected US Climographs: quick climate references in a graphical format

Climate (02:53)

Geosystems and Carbon Cycles (03:52)

Biomes of the World

Aquatic Biomes (02:57)

Desert Biomes (03:07)

Grassland Biomes (02:33)

Rainforest Biomes (03:39)

Tundra Biomes (03:01)

Scientific Method Defined (01:45)

Mountains and Earthquakes (02:47)

Humankind's Relationship with the Climate: Aral Sea (01:51)

Hurricanes (03:18)

Topographical Maps (03:12)

Sand of Coastal Dunes (03:49)

River Channel Process and Form (02:14)

Soil Analysis: Field Work (01:43)

What Is Natural Selection? (06:11)

Nature's Relationships (02:34)

What is Evolution? (01:07)

Evidence Supports Continental Drift (02:57)

Nature's Elements (03:20)

The Sun's Power (02:03)

Movement of Continents (04:47)

Water: Vitality, Origins, Regions and the Water Cycle (03:24)

Building Blocks of a Water Molecule (04:02)

Science of Ice and Snow: How Do You Photograph a Snowflake? (02:21)

Weather: The Sun, Winds and Ocean Currents (03:23)

Biodiversity Decline (03:10)

Weather (03:04)

Courtesy of the BBC, a live, easy-to-understand demonstration of How Tsunamis are Formed.

This interactive map from NOVA shows The Forming of the 2004 Tsunami

The Tsunami Page

How Are Tsunamis Formed? (3:08)

The Formation of a Tsunami

GIS: Context, Concepts and Definitions by Kenneth E. Foote and Margaret Lynch

An introduction to the use of information technologies in geography. This module includes definitions of cartography, computer-aided drafting, photogrammetry and remote sensing, spatial statistics, and geographic information systems. It also outlines the course of technological innovation and examines GIS as an integrating technology.