UNIT 1: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
THE STUDENT WILL BE ABLE TO…
 Explain how characteristics of physical geography influence
human patterns and processes
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
 This actually isn’t a physical geography class.
 Physical geography is important to understanding the things that we
discuss in this class after today
 It’s assumed that you know some principles of Physical Geography and
you’re incorporating them into your understanding
 Physical Geography includes weather, climate, elevation, latitude,
wind systems, ocean currents, and positions of things on continents.
 Today’s really the only day we spend on Physical Geography
WEATHER VS. CLIMATE
 Weather is short-term patterns of temperature, wind, and
precipitation recorded at specific moments in time (Getis et al., p. 81).
 This winter was one of the coldest on record.
 This is only a glimpse, it does not mean the Earth is getting colder
 Climate is long-term patterns of temperature, wind, and precipitation
recorded over a specified period of time; i.e. years, decades, centuries
(Getis et al., p. 81).
 This winter was one of the coldest on record.
 However, the overall temperature for the Earth has increased in the last
twenty years from the twenty years prior (Climate).
WE CARE ABOUT CLIMATE B/C OF WHERE THINGS GROW
(WHICH MEANS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE & AT WHAT DENSITY)
WHY DO TEMPERATURES VARY?
(YOU’LL GET A BETTER ANSWER IN BIOLOGY)
 Magic. (However, the state of Texas requires a different answer)
 Temperatures vary because of the sun and how it hits the earth.
 Not every place gets the same amount of sunlight.
 Other factors also influence it such as:
 Water vapor in the air
 Degree of cloud cover
 Nature of surface (land or water; they retain heat differently)
 Elevation above sea level
 Degree and direction of air movement
TIME ZONES ARE BASED ON SUNLIGHT ON THE
EARTH
 http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/sunearth.html?iso=19720101T2020&earth=1
 We have time zones because the sun doesn’t shine on the whole earth
at the same time.
 The tilt of the Earth will also influence how much sunlight and night
time an area has; areas further north and south will have variations
based on the seasons
THINGS I CARE ABOUT IN HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
 Land is warmer than water (sun rays are concentrated on top)
 Water stores warmth more than land, sun warms water and it moves
 Coastal areas have lower summer temperatures and higher winter
temperatures  one reason, out of many, why people live near water
 The sun hits the equator more, it’s warmer there for more of the year
 This higher temperature causes moisture, rain, to form because of air and
moisture rising up and then cooling down (it can’t hold the water, so it rains)
 Ocean currents correspond to global wind direction & patterns
OCEAN CURRENTS ARE KIND OF A BIG DEAL
(SUPER IMPORTANT IN HISTORY)
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY & PEOPLE
Depending on where you live, you may have varying types of
hazards
 Difference between natural disasters and natural hazards?
 Someone died (that makes it a disaster)
 Hurricanes
 Drought
 Tornado’s (actually, the U.S. is really the only place that gets these)
 Earth quakes
 Physical features may impede movement of people (ideas, trade, etc.)
 Mountains (they’re hard to climb over)
 Deserts tend to get in the way too
TIME LEFT, LET’S LOOK AT THIS…
 http://www.spaghettimodels.com/