What is Science?
What is Physical
Geography?
GPH 111
Game Plan:
 What is science?
 How does science operate?
 What is induction and deduction?
 What is physical geography
 What are three main sub-disciplines
 What is energy and how does it relate
to physical geography?
 What is a system and how does it relate
to physical geography?
The observation, identification,
description, experimental
investigation, and theoretical
explanation of phenomena.
Working with other people to
try and figure something out.
How does science work?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Demonstrate!
Observe or Collect Data
Ask a question
Hypothesize
Test Hypothesis through carefully
designed Methodology
5. Explain Results – Falsify or Fail to
Falsify
6. Recommend future work
If a bunch of people start to work
together toward a problem,
science kind of looks like…
Demonstrate!
Induction:
Works from broad natural and
experimental observations, and
builds toward a universal theory.
Demonstrate!
Deduction:
Using a universal theory as a
starting a point, and then
questions its validity at some
smaller local setting.
The Science of Physical
Geography:
The study of all the physical
elements and processes that
make up the environment:
energy, air, water, weather,
climate, landforms, soils,
animals, plants, microorganisms,
and Earth.
Climatology
Temperature, Pressure, and
Humidity
Geomorphology
Weathering, Hillslope Processes,
and Fluvial Processes
Biogeography
Animals, Plants, Microorganisms
Physical Geography from an
Energy Perspective…
1 calorie = The
energy required to
increase 1 cubic
centimeter of
water 1° Celsius
Can you think of anything that
uses energy?
What is the ultimate source of that
energy?
Four Types of Energy:
1. Strong Nuclear Force – Fission and Fusion
The Sun
2. Weak Nuclear Force – Radioactivity
Isotopic Decay
3. Electromagnetism – Electricity and Magnetism
Lightning and Earth’s Magnetic Field
4. Gravity – Otherwise known as GRAVITY
And a Systems Perspective…
Can you think of anything that
operates as a system???
An example from Earth:
The Earth from an Energy
and Systems Perspective
What would it mean if earth was in equilibrium?
Is Earth in an equilibrium?
Things to know…
Definition of Science (easy one)
The scientific process
Induction and Deduction
What Climatologists study
What Geomorphologists study
What Biogeographers study
An example of Energy
Describe a system and provide an example
What is equilibrium?
Help: Chapter EG