1. Physical Geography

2. What is Geography?
Geography is the study of the earth and the interaction between humans and their surroundings.

3. Geography There are two kinds of geography: What’s the difference?
Physical Geography
Human Geography
What’s the difference?

4. Physical Geography Physical Geography includes: land features
water features
climate

5. Physical Geography
Goal: To be able to identify physical features on maps and predict how physical geography affects living things.
These features effect how we live every day.
Can you think of 5 examples?

6. Physical Geography Hemispheres
When we study the Earth is it helpful to break it up into smaller pieces.
What are hemispheres?
How do we decide where to divide up the Earth into hemispheres?

7. Physical Geography Hemispheres
The equator is the imaginary line around the widest part of the Earth
26,000 miles around
It separates the Northern and Southern hemispheres
The Prime Meridian runs from pole to pole
It separates the Eastern and Western hemispheres
Where is the Prime Meridian located?
Why is it located there?

8. Physical Geography The Earth
The largest landforms on Earth are continents
The largest bodies of water are oceans

9. Landforms The elevation and shape of the land on Earth
What is elevation?
How high the land is above the level of the ocean
We use the term “sea level” to measure elevation.
BCTHS feet above sea level
Mile High Stadium-Denver – 5,280 feet above sea level

10. Landforms Types of Landforms
Archipelago – a group or chain of islands.
Basin -  an area of land largely enclosed by higher land.
Canyon – a long, narrow valley with steep sides, usually with a river running through it.
Cape – a narrow point of land that extends into a large body of water.
Delta – the triangular area around the mouth of a river where small islands have formed.
Highland- an area of hills, plateaus, and mountains
Hill – an area of raised land, lower and more rounded than a mountain.
Island – a piece of land completely surrounded by water.

11. Landforms Types of Landforms
Isthmus – a narrow strip of land that connects two larger pieces of land.
Lowland-  an area of low and usually level land
Mountain - high, rocky land, usually with steep sides and a pointed or rounded top, higher than a hill
Mountain range - a long chain of mountains; a row of connected mountains
Peninsula – piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides.
Plain – a broad area of mostly flat land that is close to sea level.
Plateau – large area of high land that is flat or gently rolling.
Valley - a narrow area of low land, between two higher pieces of land usually with a river running through it.

12. Landforms Effect of Landforms on People
Our lives would be different if we lived in areas where the physical geography was different.
Landforms are in two categories
Lowlands
Highlands
Can you think of examples of each?

13. Effects of Landforms Lowlands Highlands More populated Better farmland
Warmer climate
Easier transportation
Easier to invade
Subject to flooding
Highlands
Less populated
Land is rockier
Not as good for farming but okay for ranching
Transportation is harder
Mining is easier
Subject to landslides and avalanches
Can have more earthquakes and volcanoes.

14. Landforms How are landforms made? Plate Tectonics
The Earth’s crust is made up of giant plates that move around.
When these plates collide they form highlands
They can also pull apart and form canyons and valleys
When these plates hit each other they also cause “seismic” activity.
Seismic activity includes:
Earthquakes
Volcanoes
Tsunamis - what’s a tsunami?
A tidal wave caused by an underwater earthquake.

15. Bodies of Water
Bay/Gulf – a body of saltwater partly enclosed by land. (Bays are usually smaller)
Canal-  a man-made waterway connecting two bodies of water -designed to shorten travel or irrigate
Delta – the triangular area around the mouth of a river where small islands have formed.
Lake – a body of water, usually freshwater, surrounded by land.
Mouth (of a river) - place where a river empties into a larger body of water; the end of a river
Ocean – an extremely large body of salt water.
River - a large flowing stream of water that empties into a large body of water.
Sea – a large body of salt water, smaller than an ocean.
Strait – a narrow channel of water that connects two larger bodies of water.
Tributary – a river or stream that flows into a larger river.

16. Water Advantages of Water
Most people on Earth live near bodies of water
Why?
Human consumption (drinking, bathing)
Food (fish)
Transportation (trading and travel)
Farming and raising animals
Industrial uses (factories use a lot of water)
Recreation
Power
Moderates Climate – How?

17. Climate What is “Climate”?
Climate is the temperature and precipitation patterns in a certain area over a long period of time. climagraph
What is the difference between “climate” and “weather”?
“weather” is short term, “climate” is long-term
How would you describe the “climate” of Lower Bucks County?
How does climate affect our lives?

18. Climate Types of Climate Tropical Moderate Dry Polar
Rainforest - Warm year-round; humid and rainy year-round
Savanna – Warm year round; wet season and dry season
Moderate
Subtropical – warm summers, mild winters; wet year round
Mediterranean – hot summers, mild winters; dry summer, rainy winter
Marine West Coast – warm summer, cool winter; wet winters
Continental – warm summers, cold winters; wet year round
Dry
Desert – can be hot or cold; very dry all year
Steppe – can be warm or cold; mostly dry with occasional rain
Polar
Subarctic–cool summers, very cold winters; snowy winters
Ice Cap – very cold year round; very dry

19. Climate Climate Impact:
The climate of an area affects every aspect of life
Crops
Animal life
Occupations
Styles of Housing
Fashion
Settlement Patterns
Recreation
Art
Psychology