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   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… 